


Saying Everything Without Making A Sound

by withbatedbreath (heart_eyes)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, Cis Girl Louis, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Inspired by a Movie, Oblivious Liam, Pining Niall, Secret Crush, cis girl niall, cis girl zayn, hint of zarry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 04:09:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 38,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5729008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heart_eyes/pseuds/withbatedbreath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Seriously Payno, what even is your deal she’s just a girl…what makes her so special?” Niall asks, shoving Liam in the direction of their own lockers where they’d been headed before Liam laid eyes on Lou and promptly turned to stone. Like Medusa, Niall thinks, grinning to herself as she spun the combination to her lock.</p><p>“Have you seen her, though?” Liam sighed, pressing his back to his locker and looking dreamily up at the ceiling. “She’s perfect from her head to her toes, I love it all and it’s not just her outward beauty I’m attracted to, I like her insides as well.”<br/>Niall snorts as she stuffs her books into her locker before searching for a hair tie. </p><p>"What do you know about her insides? You’ve never said a single word to her!”</p><p>“True but I’m observant, I’ve seen things.” Niall pulls her head out of her locker just to shoot Liam her judging face.</p><p>“You do realize how creepy that sounds, right?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Saying Everything Without Making A Sound

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elliebird](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliebird/gifts).



> Ahhh I can't believe what a monster this turned out to be though i'm pretty happy with the outcome, but more importantly i hope you like it alwayseven :D your prompt was for a high school movie and said i'd get bonus points if it was John Hughes so i'm holding you to that (jk). I chose a lesser known movie by Mr. Hughes called [Some Kind of Wonderful](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094006/?ref_=nv_sr_3) bc it just screamed niam to me like Niall is the /perfect/ Watts and Liam is Keith reincarnated (to an extent) so yeah...
> 
> To my dearest Lex who puts up with all my whining and cheers me on anyway you are seriously the best!!!! Thank you for your last minute help, you're a miracle worker! <3 <3

Liam races down the stairs with only one arm in his jacket, the other one gripping the banister as he swings himself around the last step, and narrowly avoids colliding with his mum, who’s got a full plate of food ready and outstretched to him. Liam has to fight not to roll his eyes.

She does this every morning despite the fact that he’s told her he’s not a kid anymore, he’s eighteen—a man that doesn’t need her nagging after him about every little thing—he appreciates her concern, really, but he just didn’t have time. Kissing her quickly on the cheek, he grabs the sack lunch she’s fixed for him off the counter and a nutrient bar from the drawer to pacify her and rushes for the front door before she can guilt him into staying and eating with her tears.

His timing couldn’t be better as Niall’s clunky old sedan comes to a screeching stop at the curb in front of his house and Liam wastes no time in dashing across the lawn and sliding into the passenger seat.

“Mornin’ Horan.”

Niall, his best friend since forever gives him the once over and arches an eyebrow. “What’s got you grinnin’ like a madman?” She asks in lieu of greeting.

“I’m not.” Liam insists, trying to hide his smile and failing.

Snorting, she shakes her head in disbelief, finally pulling away from the curb. “Yeah ok, pull the other one now why don’t ya?”

Liam thinks about lying, tell her that he was just thinking about a funny video he’d seen on YouTube or blame his smile on a dumb joke one of his sisters told, but he was a lousy liar at best and knew Niall would most likely see right through it anyway and decided to bite the bullet instead.

“I saw Lou this morning.” He admits with a shrug that belies the buzzing in his veins.

“So, what else is new? You live across the street from her…news flash, you’re bound to see her on occasion.”

He rolls his eyes, turning sideways in his seat to stare at her, chin in hand. “Oh yeah? Tell me more oh wise one, I _know_ that smart arse but today was different.”

“How so?” She asked, her voice laced with doubt.

“She was sneaking Derek out the house before her parents woke up.”

Niall flicks her turn signal on and waits for Liam to continue. After a few beats she finally prods, “ _And?_ ”

Liam sighs wistfully sitting back in his seat once more and staring out ahead. “And she was still in her pajamas…these cute little lilac shorts with fuzzy orange teddy bears all over with a matching top…she looked adorable.”

“God, you’re pathetic Payno, you realize peeping is a crime, yeah?”

Liam makes an indignant noise, throwing his hands up in outrage. “I wasn’t _peeping_ , she was on her porch, besides can I help it that I have a front facing window and she happens to live directly across the street from me?  It’s the only benefit to drawing the short straw and getting stuck in the tiniest bedroom, I’ve got an actual view that isn’t mum’s prized gardenias or old man Kramer’s bedroom.”

“Oi you reckon Ruth ever peeks in on him the way you peep in on Lou?”

“No, gross and for Christ sake I wasn’t peeping. I’d just woken up and was stretching and happened to glance out the window to see her there—that’s not a crime.”

“Whatever you say mate, so did you do the reading for Flack last night?” She asks, effectively changing the subject and Liam lets her.

“Of course I did, wait don’t tell me you didn’t?” He says, shooting her a disapproving look, immediately going into dad mode—for an eighteen-year-old, he had the soul of an eighty year old. Niall giggles.

“Do I ever? You know I haven’t got a knack for English class.”

Liam snorts. “Or maths or the sciences or geography, it’s a bloody miracle you haven’t failed out of school yet.”

The blonde hums her agreement as she makes another right. “It’s a near thing but thankfully I happen ta have a right brain box for a best friend who is going to summarize the reading all neat and efficient like so that I don’t look like a dolt when Flack inevitably calls on me—I swear that woman’s got it out for me.”

“One of these days Niall you’re going to have to stop blaming everyone else for your problems, what’re you going to do when you get to Uni?”

Niall lets out a great bark of laughter. “Right _me_ going to university.” Liam doesn’t see the humor.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’m not like you Leemo, I haven’t got a wall full of trophies and academic achievement certificates dating back to nursery school in me house, I’m not destined for university. I’ll just have to make my own way, me and good ol’ Lorenzo.” She said, pitching a thumb over her shoulder in the direction of her old beat up guitar lain across the back seat.

“Hey don’t sell yourself short Nialler, you could get into Uni if you really focused and applied yourself—stopped taking short cuts by copying off my homework and the lot.” Niall bites her lip as she pulls into the school parking lot.

“That’s just it, I don’t want ta go to Uni That’s not my route. _You’re_ the brains and I’m the brawn of this operation, remember?” It was Liam’s turn to snort because at 5 foot even Niall was anything but brawny.

“Right I forgot I was best mates with Mr. T.”

“Yer damn righ—OUTTA MY WAY YA TWAT!!!” She hollers, bearing down on the horn as she whips into the first vacant parking spot her eyes land on, and just misses mowing down the quiet ginger from homeroom called Ed.

Liam let his death grip on the dash go to stare wide eyed at his best friend.

“I get it now, you have no plans for university because you don’t plan on being _alive_ that long, either that or you’ll be in jail for MURDER.” He teased, with a dramatic hand pressed to his chest just over his still racing heart.

“Oh go grow a pair Payne, I’m an excellent driver.” She insists, putting the car in park before shutting it off.

“Maybe, if real life were like playing a round of Mario kart.”

The blonde throws her head back cackling as they both climb out of the car. Liam reaching into the back for his school bag and Niall making sure she had her wallet, phone and chapstick before heading for the school doors, joining the mass of students already shuffling in like herded cattle.

“So what’s with all the talk of Uni anyway, graduation is still months away, you’ve got plenty of time to make your decision—which of Britain’s finest schools is going to get the esteemed privilege of counting you among their incoming freshman class.”

“Yeah I know it’s just my dad, he’s really been riding me about choosing, it’s getting borderline obsessive.”

“Well it makes sense, aren’t ya goin’ to be the first of the Payne’s to go?”

“Sort of? Nicola went to beauty school but dropped out after just one term—does that count?” Niall shrugged; slapping one of her mates from the skate park five as they passed each other. “And I love my baby sister but my parents aren’t exactly holding their breath that Ruth’s going to go.”

“Pffft she’s an airhead.” Niall agreed, distracted.

“Oi, that’s me sister yer slagging off.”

Niall held her hands out to her sides not looking the least bit apologetic. “What, you were thinkin’ it!” She accuses him with a crooked grin that Liam had no choice but to match.

“That’s true but I’d be a terrible brother if I didn’t at least put up some kind of protest.” Niall giggles, catching Liam off guard by nudging him roughly with her shoulder knocking him off balance for a moment, which is just long enough to send him flying into the back of someone else.

He freezes, an apology already on his lips as the other boy slowly turns to reveal one angry looking Derek Foster, the reigning king of the school and long time boyfriend of Lou Tomlinson.

Derek was the type of person that things just happened for, he was the only son of an affluent family that basically owned every local business in town, he was popular around school as a star athlete and class president, not to mention he was one of the best looking lads that could have his pick of both girls and boys.

So on top of being gorgeous with bright blue eyes, an impish little smile that promised trouble and a bum that has literally been known to bring men to their knees if they stared at it for too long, Lou Tomlinson was the envy of every girl in her class for the sheer fact that she was lucky enough to be on Derek’s arm. That out of all the girls he’d chosen _her_.

Which made Liam’s crush on her all the more pathetic because not only did she not know who he was despite the fact that they’ve lived across the street from each other for the last three years but she had everything she could possibly ever want, the perfect face and body, popularity, and the most sought after boyfriend…so who exactly was Liam trying to kid?

“Who the fuck…oh it’s _you!”_ Liam blinks because there is no way that Derek knows who he is, that he would even come up as a blip on the other boy’s radar. “The one that’s always staring at my girl like a pathetic love sick puppy.” He finishes to the roar of laughter from his friends. Liam’s cheeks pink immediately and he silently prays for the first time in his life for the line to speed up so he can get inside and possibly have just enough time to drown himself in the boys’ toilets before the first bell.

“It’s you, isn’t it? The one who’s always looking over at us, scribbling in that gay little diary of yours when you think we’re not looking—peeping in at her from your bedroom window.”

“He doesn’t peep in on her you bonehead, since when is looking out your window a crime? He didn’t force her family to move across the street from ’im!” Niall gritted out, singing a completely different tune from earlier, going up on her tip-toes in an effort to seem more threatening as she glared up at the nearly six foot basketball captain. Liam goes even redder as he tries to tug her away, even thinks about cupping a hand over her mouth when she ignores him and continues. “And it’s a _journal_ not a diary, but then you brainless wank rags wouldn’t know anything about one of them, wouldja?”

“Ooh got the little missus to fight yer battles for you, Payne? I’m trembling!”

“I, uh…”

“Break it up, break it up now, it’s much too early for this bosh and I haven’t even had me coffee yet.” Nick Grimshaw groaned out, sounding a bit like a zombie as he squeezed his way through the throng of students, his briefcase held above his head as he wished not for the first time that there was a separate entrance to the building for faculty. “Liam, would you follow me please?”

“But…”

“Now.” Liam clenched his jaw and turned to Niall.

“You gonna be alright?” He asked with a pointed glance at Derek and his bros but the blonde just flashed him a grin and rolled her eyes as if to say, _I can take them_.

“I’ll be fine Payno, gonna go over to me buddie Mark and see what’s the craic.” She assured him, nodding over to that same friend from the skate park.

Liam recognized him from the few times he had met Niall there for a ride home after work but he’d never really stuck around long enough to be properly introduced or anything, it wasn’t really his scene and there seemed to be an unspoken agreement that he and the skaters would share Niall despite how different their two worlds were.

“Alright, I’ll see you in homeroom then?”

“Yeah buddie!” She promised and they sealed the deal with a quick fist bump before going their separate ways.

###

It’s no secret among school that Liam was an academic success who excels especially at writing and had a whole heap of accolades to prove it. He’s won several contests, both local and regional with his poetry, and pretty much has his choice of Universities but recently he’s become so conflicted. All his life he’s known he was going to Uni, it just made sense, and his father especially has always drilled it into his head that he was going to go and actually make something of himself. But now at eighteen, he wonders if that’s really the path he wants for himself or does he just think it is because that’s all he’s even been told since as far back as he can remember?

He gets it, his dad is proud of him and just wants what is best for him, doesn’t want to see Liam waste all of his potential by graduating high school and getting a job at the factory like he did, doesn’t want to see another generation of Paynes working a job where he has to wash his hands when he gets home.

But Liam just isn’t sure if that’s what _he_ wants for himself, it’s just a lot of pressure, but not nearly as much pressure as Nick is under, constantly having to field call after call from one Geoff Payne riding him about Liam and his lack of enthusiasm for the future and all the endless possibilities that lie before him.

As the school’s young guidance counselor, it was his job to advise the youth, to help guide them, help them find their path in life—but he wasn’t a bloody miracle worker and Liam Panye was one stubborn nut to crack—in all honesty Nick liked him, saw a bit of himself in the lad. He knew how it was to be different, leagues ahead of his mates and peers, to have everyone slinging words like intellectual, potential and advanced. Knew the pressure Liam was under, having experienced it himself a short time ago as the youngest child of an intellectually inclined family with an older brother who was a top notch lawyer living in London and a sister who’d gotten her Master’s in neuroscience.

So it was safe to say he’d been expected to go off to university to major in something equally as stimulating but all he’d wanted to do was study mass media, chasing a long time dream of being on the radio—but his parents would never have approved, so instead he majored in psychology, packing away his deejay turntables and childish dreams of one day hosting the Radio 1 breakfast show and instead graduated early with a year to spare and got a job as the guidance counselor of his former school straight out of Uni

He doesn’t have many regrets, he genuinely loved the work he was doing, and the kids for the most part, but every now and then he’d wake up in a rut and have to talk himself out of throwing back an entire bottle of sleeping pills, so a typical Wednesday then.

“What was that, Leeyum?” Nick asks once the door to his office is shut, shooting for stern but just missing and coming off more like a peeved rich bitch whose credit card has just been declined.

“Nothing, just a few of the popular knobs givin’ me a hard time, it’s no big deal”

“I saw that, but why?” Liam shrugged, not meeting the other man’s eyes.

Nick sighs, finally taking a seat behind his desk. “You’re not going to tell me? Fine, let’s move on then. Where are you on the whole Uni front? Got all your applications in?”

“Uh, I’ve got them—they all arrived in the post and my dad had them all waiting for me in a neat little pile on my desk when I got home a couple weeks ago but I don’t know.”

“What’s not to know? You fill them out using yer best penmanship and send them back, s’not rocket science, Leeyum.”

Liam bit the inside of his cheek. “I know but they’re not all free and I—” He starts but Nick quickly waved him off.

“I’m sure your dad won’t mind covering the fee if it meant you finally sending them off.”

“I know that but—” He tries again but this time Nick brings his hands together atop the desk, steepling his fingers as he stared across the cluttered surface at Liam.

“What’s the real issue here mate?” Liam tried to bite his tongue, staring right back at Nick but in the end he cracked.

“I don’t know!!!” He blurts then immediately retracts, “I mean there is no issue, nothing’s wrong…did you catch last night’s Man U match against Liverpool?”

Sitting back in his chair, steepled hands now resting on his chest just under his chin looking pensive. “Not a big footie fan me; now stop trying to change the subject, Liam.”

“Oh, fine I just don’t know if I want to spend another four plus years in school—I reckon I might go out and see the world, the world beyond this town. Do you know that the furthest I’ve been is North London for a cousin’s wedding?”

“Yeah?”

Liam nodded, fiddling with the chipped edge of his chair’s armrest. “It’s true; I’ve never even been on a plane before!”

“Well how do you intend to fund this world exploration of yours?”

Liam shrugged. “I could use the money I’ve been saving up working at the multiplex…it’s either that or buy a car.”

“Is there just no part of you that wants to go to school then?” Liam lets out a weary breath, having asked himself the same question too many times to count already.

“I guess so; I mean it’s what we’re meant to do, right? Pay now for a better education that will later pay for itself in the form of a higher paying job…but I just don’t want to wake up in however many years with regrets, ya know?”

“I hear ya.” Nick muttered, thinking of his own life choices that lead him here before glancing at his watch. “Well we’ve covered some pretty heavy topics for seven am, so I reckon you go on to homeroom before you’re marked truant and I’ll see you later for lunch, yeah?” Liam nodded at the reminder of their longstanding daily lunch date which helped kill two birds with one stone. It gave Nick the perfect opportunity to prod Liam about his future plans at Geoff’s request and it also gave Liam someone to eat lunch with since him and Niall got stuck with separate lunch periods this term.

“Alright see ya then, think mum packed an extra Jell-O for you this morning.”

Nick’s face lights up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Really? That Karen Payne is a saint, I tell ya.”

“Yeah, yeah, stop goin’ all moon-eyed over me mum.”

Nick feigned innocence, holding a hand up to his chest.

“Who me?”

###

Liam likes to spend his free period in the library rather than the computer room or gym: 1. Because it’s quiet, aside from the melodic sounds of pages being turned and 2. Because that’s where Lou spent her free period as well.

He always manages to snag a seat just across from her, and though they never speak, never even acknowledge each other with a look or a smile, Liam still feels like somehow they’re sitting together, getting a head start on that night’s homework to free up time for hanging out or any other social activities around town. Not that Liam was ever invited to said activities, but a boy could dream.

He usually used this time to write poems about her.

From the elegant swoop of her lashes against her cheek, the way she chewed the corner of her mouth in concentration, to the cute little way she constantly flicked her bangs out of her eyes—It all had a certain grace and beauty that Liam just had to put to paper, describing her using a massive amount of allegory and looping hyperbole.

He was so enrapt in his ‘research’ that he completely missed it when Niall snuck through the library doors to tip-toe up behind him.

“Payno!” She whisper-shouts, making him jump and whirl around to glare at her.

“Jesus Horan, give me a heart attack, why don’tcha?” He hissed, quickly slamming his journal shut, blushing when Lou’s eyes flick up curiously for a moment before returning to her textbook shortly after.

“Hmm maybe later, kinda like having you around for now.” Niall joked with a wink as she slid into the seat beside him.

“What’re you even doing here, aren’t you supposed to be in your geography lesson right now?”

“Yep but I got me a bathroom pass.” She boasted, proudly pulling the wrinkled piece of paper out from her back pocket to wave directly in his face.

Batting it away, he snorted. “Well, you better get back so you can actually learn, it’s no wonder you didn’t know Spain was in Europe!”

Niall sucked her teeth, grabbing Liam’s copy of Keats up off the table and flipping idly through the pages without really looking at them. “Like I’m ever going to need to know that though, it’s not like I’m ever going to get out of this town…this place is like the Bermuda triangle, no one gets out.”

“Whatever, what do you want? I was kind of studying before you so rudely interrupted.”

“Studying, sure.” She scoffed, looking pointedly over to Lou and raising a single eyebrow. “Bet I can guess what subject in one. I just came by to see how you were holding up after this morning’s near brush with death.”

“Oh piss off, that was nothing! Besides I could’ve taken him, I didn’t need you to step in.”

This gets a laugh out of her as she reaches over to rest a sympathetic hand on his arm. “Liam, come on it’s _me,_ the same girl who accidentally broke your nose during a tickle fight when we were thirteen.”

Liam bristles, gently tapping the cover of his journal with his pen as an excuse not to meet her eyes. “Yeah well, you fight dirty, and anyway, you weren’t exactly helping this morning…how do you think it made me look having my _girl—”_ Niall sucked in a surprised breath and held it. “ _—_ best friend jump in to defend me? Those guys probably think I’m a total wuss now.” Exhaling in a loud shaky whoosh, Niall flipped her wrist.

“So they’re not far off then.” She teased, biting off a yelp as Liam reaches out to pinch her.

That sets them off in a mini war to see who can make the other cry out loud in pain until a throat is suddenly being cleared and they both freeze, turning towards the librarian’s desk with twin looks of guilt on their faces.

“Miss Horan, I don’t believe you are on the list for free period, so I assume there’s somewhere else you ought to be getting to.” Sweet little old Mrs. Hobbs said over her glasses where they were perched at the end of her nose.

Niall let out an uneasy laugh, slowly standing from her chair, and backed away just as slowly towards the library’s exit.

“Um, yeah just making a pit stop on me way to the loo. I’ll see you in a couple periods though, Mrs. H.”

“I’m sure I’ll be waiting with bated breath.” The librarian deadpanned, going so far as to hold a hand up to her bosom, making the blonde chuckle.

“Whatever you say Mrs. H…see ya, Leeyum!” She called out and with a little wave she was gone.

“As for you Mr. Payne, whatever you and your little girlfriend get up to on your own time is your business but I’d advise you not to try sneaking her in on my watch or else it’s a week’s detention for the both of you.”

“She’s not my girl—” Liam tried to protest in outrage because him and Niall? No way! But the stern look Mrs. Hobbs was shooting him told him that this was not up for discussion, so he quickly snapped his jaw shut and nodded. “Of course, sorry Mrs. Hobbs, it won’t happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t, a boy as promising as you does not need that sort of thing on his record.” She reminded him before turning back to whatever she was doing on her computer.

With the looming threat of detention gone, Liam can finally relax, facing forward once more just in time to see a tiny little smirk find its way on Lou’s face.

###

Once school is let out, Niall drops Liam off at home so he can eat and see his family for a bit before heading off to work per usual.

After fending off his dad’s questions about Uni and his little sister Ruth’s teasing about this morning’s fiasco with Derek (which apparently had spread through school like a wildfire) prompting his father to insist he enroll in boxing lessons that weekend, Liam excuses himself from the table, despite his mother’s protests that he’d barely touched his food to change into his work uniform, having never been so grateful to have a job he needed to get to.

The bike ride to the multiplex isn’t much but it gives him enough time to himself to think and breathe and just _be_ even for a few minutes. Ever since starting his final year of school, he’s felt this overwhelming pressure from everyone to make a decision about what he wants to do with his life, who he wants to be that he feels like he never has the chance to just live his life and find out, let all the answers come to him naturally without anyone’s outside input or opinion.

The route he usually rides, takes him through the center of town passed all the happening spots that his peers hang out, though working at one of the most frequented spots—the movie theatre he was bound to see them anyway, so it comes as no surprise when he spies none other than Derek Foster walking out the local candy shop with his arm casually thrown around some fit girl—what was surprising was that the girl was _not_ Lou, instead it was some blonde fresher with big blue eyes that stared longingly up at him, hanging on every word he spoke.

Liam nearly runs into a lamp post he’s so focused on the couple, but turns at the last minute, right into the theatre’s car park. He climbs off his bike and chains it to the bike rack in a daze, unable to believe that Derek could cheat on someone as perfect and wonderful as Lou. Not understanding how someone could be so lucky as to date the most beautiful girl in school and not be satisfied—to feel the need to go out and see other girls behind her back. It made no sense.

It’s not long after Liam punches in, taking up his usual spot at the concession counter that Niall shows up waving at Jade in the ticket booth as she passes.

She does this every night Liam works, hangs out with him through his shift and then drives him home. She can be a bit distracting at times but Liam doesn’t really mind, he rather likes the company since the girl he works with Jesy finds every excuse to stay in the stockroom ‘taking inventory’ whenever they’re scheduled together…Liam’s pretty sure she’s really texting her boyfriend Jake.

Tonight Niall hoists herself up to sit on the counter, her legs swinging and Liam knows he ought to tell her to get off—that if his boss were to walk in and catch her with her butt on the counter that Liam would be fired and she’d be banned from the theatre for life but he doesn’t say anything. Simon rarely stopped in anyway.

She’s describing this gnarly fall a lad from the skate park named Eoghan took the other day, twisting his leg so badly a bit of bone poked out while Liam winces appropriately and tries his best not to vom, the customers who have no choice but to overhear her tale seem to do the same, snatching their snacks and hurriedly finding their theatre.

When there’s a lull between customers Liam pulls out his journal while Niall plays some guitar game on her mobile, legs still swinging obnoxiously.

“What’s that yer writing there?” Liam looks up from his notebook where he’d been trying to rhyme copper colored tendrils, to see that the blonde has put her phone away, leaning over to try and catch a peek at Liam’s writing. Instinctively he moves his arm to cover the journal. “Is that anudder one of ‘em sonnet things? An ode to the color of me eyes?” She joked, batting her lashes playfully at him.

Liam lets out an uneasy laugh. “Yeah right, it’s nothing really…”

She narrows her eyes suspiciously. “Yer guilty face says differently.”

Liam tries to school his face into indifference which only further proves his guilt so he gives up and shrugs. “Fine, but it’s dumb.”

“I highly doubt that.” She scoffs leaning even closer, causing Liam to lean away.

“It’s private then.” He finally relents, hoping she’ll lay off.

Niall nods as if finally getting the hint, agreeing to respect his privacy and Liam relaxes, moves to pack his notebook away again, knowing the matinee shows will be starting soon which is sure to bring a new rush of customers in. But before he can slip it into his rucksack Niall’s nimble hands shoot out to snatch it from his grasp.

“Niall—don’t!” Liam whines, watching in horror as she flips to the last page he’d written on, eyes scanning his words—his _private thoughts_. He can see the moment when she decodes the meaning of said words—namely the subject, her mouth pulling down into a frown as she snaps the book closed and tosses it down to the counter. Liam wastes no time in grabbing it up and stuffing it into his bag though the damage has clearly already been done.

“Oh Liam no, tell me I read that wrong, that Foster isn’t right—you haven’t _really_ been writing poems about Tomlinson.”

Liam gulps, eyes darting desperately around the room, looking for a distraction. “I haven’t, not really, they’re just silly little things not like _proper_ poems.”

Niall throws her hands up. “That’s not the point Leemo, the fact that they exist at all when you don’t, not in her world anyway, you might as well be a tree or mailbox, just a background prop in the life of Lou Tomlinson.”

Liam’s mouth twists, his thick eyebrows coming together on his forehead in pain as he winces at Niall’s harsh words, but unable to accept them as truth, he shakes his head. “That’s just not true, I mean I’m her neighbor and classmate for one thing, and just a couple days back her pen ran out of ink during free period and she asked to borrow one of mine…I gave her one and told her she could just keep it and she thanked me and smiled.”

“Oh wow, steamy stuff that, I stand corrected, yer one more pen exchange away from setting a date for yer wedding! Get real Liam, you could’ve been Rusty the janitor lending her a pen for all she cared.”

“Why do you want to hurt me, Niall?” Liam whimpered, hiding his face in his hands, his words muffled and a bit weepy.

“That’s just it, I _don’t_ want to see you get hurt but this road yer going down now, it leads right to heartbreak city mate, I’m just trying to look out for ya.”

“Look Ni, I know to you I probably sound right barmy and I can’t explain how I know, but I just do. I know in my heart that we’re meant to be, that Derek doesn’t deserve her—do’ya know I saw him just a bit ago cheating on her with some fresher?”  Liam shook his head in disgust. “If she were my girl I’d never cheat, hell I wouldn’t even _look_ at another girl, what would be the point?”

“Christ you’ve got it bad, when did this happen? It seems like only yesterday you still believed girls had cooties and now yer proper gone for the most unattainable girl in town—I’ve got to hand it to ya Payne, you don’t do things in halves, eh?”

Liam’s shoulders slump as he leans back against the counter. “Tell me about it, but the heart wants what it wants, yeah? And hey, it wasn’t all girls who had cooties, just _you.”_

“That right? Well in that case I reckon I should share the wealth!” She growled just before lunging at him, nearly going head first off the counter as she threatened to lick him while he tried his best to fend her off. This lasts for a quite a bit until Niall’s stomach growls loudly making them both giggle and make plans to hit the diner for burgers after Liam’s shift, his treat of course.

“I don’t know why you always make me pay.” Liam complains breathlessly, smoothing out the wrinkles in his uniform. “When I’m pretty sure you could just bat those big blue eyes of yours at Harry and he’d give you whatever you wanted on the house, that kid’s practically in love with you.”

Niall’s nostrils flare in anger as her cheeks immediately start to pink up at the mention of her not-so-secret admirer.

“You take that back!”

“Take what back, Mrs. Styles?” He asks; face the perfect picture of innocence. That sets them off in yet another tickle fight, faces going cherry red from all their laughter.

That’s the exact position his latest customers find them as a throat is cleared to grab their attention. Liam pushes Niall away by her face, coughing to collect himself before looking up only to have his knees go a bit wobbly at the sight of Lou and Derek staring at him with near identical looks of amusement.

“Well, well, well if that isn’t the most darling thing ever, nothing sweeter than two losers in love…I hope we aren’t interrupting,” Derek sneered, slipping the arm he has draped around Lou’s shoulders down to circle her waist instead.

Ignoring Niall’s muttered ‘speak of the devil’ Liam finds his voice. “Erm, we’re not—I mean of course not, how can I help you?”

Shooting Liam one last unimpressed look Derek turns to his girlfriend, ducking down to kiss her neck and whisper: “What’d ya want, babe?”

Lou giggled as his breath tickled her ear, gently pushing him away as she eyed the overhead menu. “I’m still full from dinner so I’ll just have a small diet coke please.” Derek sucked his teeth, rolling his eyes.

“Babe, this isn’t going to be one of those times where you say you aren’t hungry then end up eating most of my popcorn, is it?” Glaring pointedly at him, Lou spoke through a clenched jaw.

“Of course not, you know I’m watching my figure.”

Derek rolled his eyes a second time. “Yeah right, that’s why you ordered a salad and then spent most the night stealing chips off my plate.”

That earned him a not at all discreet kick to the shin. “Are you quite finished?” She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as he muffled a hurt noise, bending over to rub his injury. “Would you just order already so we can go find our seats?”

Nodding, he stood up straight once more. “I’ll take a tub of popcorn, some snowcaps and a large root beer.”

“…and gummy bears, they’re fat free!”

Still looking a bit put out the basketball star nods without argument. “Throw in a bag of gummy bears while you’re at it.” He grunts and if there’s a satisfied little smirk playing at the corners of Liam’s mouth as he turns to fulfill their order, well then that was his business.

###

The next day they’re in Liam’s bedroom after school supposedly doing homework but of course Liam’s the only one doing any actual work while Niall lounges back on Liam’s bed strumming on her ever-present guitar the same tune over and over until Liam finds himself humming along without meaning to.

Karen’s already popped her head in to ask Niall if she’d be staying for dinner—this was of course just a formality because Niall _always_ jumped at the mention of free food, Karen’s home cooking especially.

After a few more unproductive minutes Liam sets his copy of Great Expectations—an exceptionally cruel imitation of life if he’s ever read one—aside.

“What is that you keep playing?”

“Dunno, just came to me the other day—thinkin’ about putting words to it.”

“Oh yeah?” Liam asked his interest peaked, it wasn’t like Niall to be interested in writing songs—she usually played already popular songs mostly Justin Bieber, Michael Bublé and the Eagles and it’s not that he doesn’t think she’s capable—she’s just never wanted to before.

“Mmhm.” She hums, never missing a note. “Like a proper song only…I’ve never been very good with me words, not like you.” Liam doesn’t agree but for the sake of argument he shrugs.

“I could help?”

She stops playing then, sitting up straight against the headboard to meet Liam’s eyes. “Yeah? Cheers!” Grinning, Liam grabbed a brand new spiral notebook from his desk drawer and a pen from his toy story cup and joined Niall on the bed, crossing his legs and facing her.

“Alright so what kind of song were you thinking of?”

“Dunno, I sort of reckon it sounds a bit longing…like a love song?”

Liam’s eyebrows screw up adorably in confusion. “A love song? Really?” Niall pulls a similar look.

“Why do ya sound so surprised?”

“I don’t know; I guess I just didn’t think you were into all that mushy stuff.”

“Music is music Payno—it’s not really about being mushy, it’s all about passion.”

Liam nods staring down at the blank page in his lap. “I know, I just thought you’d rather we wrote about something you knew stuff about.”

The blonde narrows her eyes, laying her guitar down on the bed at her side in order to cross her arms over her chest. “What’re you saying? That I don’t know anything about love?”

“Well yeah, it’s not like you’ve ever been in love before.” Liam admits, honestly.

“Oh and you think because you’ve got this one-sided infatuation going on with Lou you’re some kind of expert on the subject?”

Liam raises his hands up in front of him as Niall starts to lean forward, her face scrunched up in anger. “No of course not, I only meant that you—”

“For your information, I have been in love before.” Liam’s mouth snaps shut his expression going from fear to shock in mere seconds.

“Really? When? With who?”

“Like I’m gonna tell you.” Niall huffed, turning slightly away from him with her nose stuck in the air.

“What? Why _wouldn’t_ you, I’m your best mate! I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long without spilling the beans, to be honest.”

“Just for that I plan to take this secret to my grave.” She snapped, peeking one eye open just long enough to glare at him before giving him the cold shoulder once more.

“Niall…”

“Nope, too late my lips are sealed.”

“Aw come on Horan, you wouldn’t want to tarnish the sanctity of our friendship, would you?” Niall pretended to think about it before finally giving Liam a halfhearted shrug. “And it’s always been built on honesty and openness with each other.” He insisted, scooting closer to her on the bed.

“Honesty…right, how honest were ya being when Holly went a little overboard with the hair dye and had me hair looking radioactive? You said it looked sick!” Liam chuckles.

“Is it my fault you mistook sick as in vom for sick as in awesome? Come on, Niall, I’ve gotta know who is worthy of your heart!” He says, sheepishly ducking his head in order to stare up at her through his lashes.

For a moment she thinks about telling him, spilling everything she’s thought and felt about him since the day her traitorous body started changing on her, turning his big nose, dopey smile and bulky frame into something worthy of being lusted after.

“Trying to catch my breath here.” She blurts out, catching Liam off guard.

“What?” He asks, sitting up straight again.

“Right here.” She says, coughing as she takes up her guitar and plucks out the particular melody. _“Trying to catch my breath…some way, somehow.’’_

“Hey, that’s pretty good actually.” Liam says, already jotting her words down in the notebook.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah! But that’s not the beginning is it? Something’s gotta happen before that bit to make us breathless.”

“Maybe we’re running—being chased down or summat?”

Liam makes a thoughtful noise. “Could do, or perhaps it’s our heart that is racing?”

“Ooh I like that...”

“Play the first bit again while I think.” Niall dutifully obliges, deft fingers dancing their way across the fretboard while Liam chews on the end of his pen in thought.

###

Liam stops short in the middle of the hallway, causing Niall to run right into his back with an audible ‘oof’.

“What’s the big idea?” She whines, twisting so she can look around Liam at what’s caused him to do the world’s best impression of a wax figure and makes an annoyed sound when she spots none other than Lou Tomlinson gossiping with her vapid group of bints huddled at her locker. “Seriously Payno, what even is your deal she’s just a girl…what makes her so special?” She asks, shoving Liam in the direction of their own lockers where they’d been headed before Liam laid eyes on Lou and promptly turned to stone. _Like Medusa,_ Niall thinks, grinning to herself as she spun the combination to her lock.

“Have you _seen_ her, though?” Liam sighed, pressing his back to his locker and looking dreamily up at the ceiling. “She’s perfect from her head to her toes, I love it all and it’s not just her outward beauty I’m attracted to, I like her insides as well.”

Niall snorts as she stuffs her books into her locker before searching for a hair tie. “What do _you_ know about her insides? You’ve never said a single word to her!”

“True but I’m observant, I’ve seen things.” Niall pulls her head out of her locker just to shoot Liam her judging face.

“You do realize how creepy that sounds, right?”

Liam nodded, not even attempting to pretend that it didn’t. “Yeah, I’m aware.”

“Just checking.” She said, diving back into her locker still looking for that pesky hair tie. “So you observe things?” She prompts from inside her locker making Liam light up once more.

“Yes, living across the street from her all these years I notice things, like how sweet she is with her siblings, all _six_ of them, or how close she is with her mum. And then there’s all the volunteer work she does at school and around town, always putting on bake sales and reading to sick kids in hospital.”

“But isn’t all that for her Uni apps—like to build herself up, make it look good.”

Liam hums in thought. “That could partly be it, but I have to believe there’s a part of her that just does it because it’s nice—that she’s nice.” Niall hoots in victory and ducks out of her locker grinning as she holds a lime green hair tie up triumphantly.

Her smile fades as she takes in Liam’s expectant look and replays what Liam just said over in her head. “Nice, huh? Is that all it takes to get you drooling like a dog with a steak in front of ‘im? It has nothing to do with her tits and ass?”

“Niall!” Liam hisses, pulling an offended face as he glances around them to make sure no one heard her. “I mean those are nice too, _of course,_ but they’re not _all_ I like about her.” Niall shakes her head, slamming her locker shut.

“If you say so, I’ve got to get to P.E. I’ll see you in English?”

“Technically you’ll see me in P.E, but of course I’ll save your seat for you in case someone loses their mind and actually wants to sit by me.” Niall doesn’t even dignify that was a laugh.

“Ta, later Lame-o!”

###

The thing is before Liam went and caught feelings for Lou—started drooling at the very mention of her - Niall never really cared that she was a bit of a late bloomer, didn’t give a rat’s ass about her appearance or keeping up with what all the other girls in school were into, that she was different. She didn’t obsess over fashion, makeup or whether her hair resembled Taylor Swift’s newest do.

She was aware that she didn’t dress like most girls; it was just easier to wear Greg’s hand-me-downs then to buy the frilly skirts and crop tops in every shade of pink that seemed to be all the rage at the moment.

But now in the girl’s locker room after P.E. class, she can’t help but sneak peeks at Lou as she towel-dries her hair dressed in only her bra and panties, chatting with her mates about the latest season of X Factor. Niall can’t help but admire her. Lou Tomlinson was voluptuous in every sense of the word, from her sizable chest right down to her perfect bum.

Niall can’t help but glance down at her own body, namely her barely-there breasts and the fact that she had no curves to speak of, can’t stop herself from comparing hers to Lou’s and feeling inferior as a result, why would Liam ever be interested in _her_ with girls that looked like Lou in the world?

“So it’s true!” A voice says over her shoulder, making Niall jump and turn around only to find Sophia, one of Lou’s brainless clones standing over her with a red lipstick covered sneer.

“What is?” She huffs, trying and failing not to glance down at Sophia’s ample chest because it’s just not fair is she really the only girl in their school still growing? Sophia smirks as if her points been proven.

“It’s true that you’re into chits, and from the looks of it, you and that nerdy little mate of yours Liam go for the same type.” She snickers looking between Niall and Lou and back again.

“Piss off Smith, isn’t there a loo stall you ought to be sucking someone off in?” Niall spits out eyeing Sophia’s knees with an arched brow.

Sophia’s smirk morphs into a look of outrage and her only response is to sniff haughtily and stomp off.

Niall watches her go, huffing right passed Lou to her own locker and breathes a sigh of relief, for now she was safe from having to defend herself from yet another asshole lemming of this forsaken school.

It made her think of the conversation she’d had with Liam a few days ago about going off to university. She hadn’t been lying when she told Liam that more schooling just wasn’t for her, she had neither the brains, drive, nor wherewithal to continue it just wasn’t for her. But she knew Uni was definitely in the cards for Liam—hell, the entire town practically knew it, so if ever she did get the inkling to go it would be out of fear of being left behind—forgotten. That Liam would go off to Uni and never return, trading his little small town mates for new, cleverer Uni mates.

Sometimes those thoughts were enough to kill her, the hurt so bad, and in those moments she wishes she really could go off to Uni with Liam in the fall, if she only applied herself, started actually doing her coursework and paying attention in class that she even stood a shot of at least being accepted to a vocational school or summat—not that she’d be able to afford it either way.

Liam’s all she really has going for her, his friendship and her guitar. She doesn’t know what she’d do if he up and left and forgot about her. Doesn’t mean to find out.

###

“Uh huh…uh huh.” Liam enters Nick’s office, stopping short when he sees the older man is on the phone and starts to back out again but Nick looks up from his computer and waves him in. “Yes, yes I’m listening Geoff and I understand where you’re coming from, I do.” Liam rolls his eyes and takes up his usual seat.

“Well apart from Chinese water torture, I think we’ve both tried everything, wouldn’t you say?” Nick tries to joke, his face dropping immediately after and Liam imagines his father hadn’t appreciated the humor. “Alright Geoff, my 1 o’clock’s just arrived so I’m going to have to let you go, but we’ll be in touch, yeah?” Liam watches Nick nod along to whatever his father was saying for three more minutes before he finally hangs up.

“So, my dad called?”

“Don’t get smart, Payne, I’m starting to think the man’s got my office on speed dial, if I didn’t know any better I’d think he was sweet on me and that we were the married couple, not him and the lovely Karen...is he like this at home with her?”

“Uh no? I mean, they’re not having marital troubles, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“It wasn’t but that’s nice to know, I’d hate to be the other woman.” Nick quipped, pretending to fan himself with a paper flag like some kind of southern belle. But after a minute he mimes throwing the fan down on his desk and grips his hair instead. “Will you please put me out of my misery and just hand in your blood apps, show yer dad that I am actually getting through to you?”

“Yeah alright, they’re all filled out, I just have to drop them in the post. I’ll do it on my way to work tonight.”

“Thank you.” He breathes out, slouching in his chair to get comfortable. “Now about the other day.”

“What other day?”

“The day I arrived to school only to walk up on you about to get your arse handed to you by Derek and his lot.”

“It was nothing really.”

“Didn’t look like nothing, and to be quite honest, I was surprised to find that it was _you_ he was having a tiff with, no offense but I didn’t reckon he even knew you existed.”

“None taken, in fact, I thought the same thing but I guess he noticed.”

“Noticed what?”

“The way I uh, sort admire his girlfriend.”

“Lou Tomlinson? Really, she does it for ya?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh nothing, just the few times she’s been in here have been such pleasant encounters.”

“Can you say that again without clenching your teeth?”

“Alright, you caught me I can’t stand her—she’s every bit the spoiled brat you’d imagine she’d be, her kind always is.”

“She’s _not_ one of them, though, not really. I mean as far as money goes—she lives in my neighborhood, right across the street from me in fact. She might walk around school with her nose up in the air like she’s hot shit but our mums work at the same hospital and I think her step dad’s just an accountant, so she’s really not that much better off than me.”

“So then, how is she the queen bee of a school filled with rich silver spoon snobs?”

“Luck? Her pretty face? She’s good at faking it? Who knows, but she’s not like them, Grimmy.”

“Well, you could’ve fooled the fuck out of me. The last time she was in here she insulted me no less than six times from the scuffs on my shoes, the, and I quote, ‘tacky mismatched patterns’ I wore, all the way up to my ‘dumb’ hair and that was _before_ I could even ask her how her Uni apps were going.”

“Well maybe it’s you, ever think of that? Maybe she just doesn’t like _you_.”

###

Liam’s running a few minutes late for work so he’s peddling at full speed, leaving his fate in the hands of a higher power, as he whizzes through yellow lights with no regard for intersections. As he turns on main street, his mind is about a million miles away, when he catches sight of Derek and for the second time, he nearly brains himself not looking where he’s going as he watches the other boy exit the ice cream shop, this time his arm is resting low on the waist of yet another freshman, this one with a head full of auburn curls that bounce crazily as she laughs at something Derek’s just said.

Reaching up to thumb a bit of something out of the corner of her mouth before bringing the thumb to his own lips, his tongue flicking out to lick it off. Liam can’t help but growl, hopping off his bike for safety sake and walking it the rest of the way to the theatre’s parking lot.

That’s of course when Derek spots him, and in true douchebag form there’s not a trace of guilt at being caught, instead he smirks at Liam and makes a show of leaning in to kiss the girl right on the mouth.

Liam sees red.

###

They’re almost an hour into Liam’s shift and Liam hasn’t said a single word to Niall, just moved about stiffly fulfilling people’s orders and stoically counting out their change. Which ok, isn’t _that_ out of ordinary considering it’s his job. But he usually would find the time to mutter something to Niall under his breath or shoot her a quick little smile or an eye roll at a particularly large and ridiculous order to consume within a 45-minute film, but not tonight, tonight he avoids eye contact and speaks short and gruff with the customers. Very un-Liam-like.

“Alright, pod person, what have you done with my best mate?”

“What are you on about now, Horan?”

“Gee, bite me head off why don’tcha, was just making a joke.”

“Jokes are funny.”

“Ouch, what’s gotten into you?”

“Derek Foster.”

“What about ‘im, did he try messin’ with ya again, because I’ll…”

“No, nothing like that. I saw him, with another girl.”

“Yeah I know you told me the other day, it sucks, but are you _really_ surprised? I always figured Tomlinson was smarter’n that to stay with a cheater, meself…”

“I saw him with _another_ girl—a different one from before.”

“Wait, he’s not only cheating on Lou but he’s doing it with multiple girls? That’s heavy man, and you’d think in a small town like this that someone would clue in and tell her.”

“I’m clued in.”

“And what you’re going to tell her? Yeah, right mate—she’d just as soon find out herself then you ever gathering up the guts to approach her—speaking of, I thought up a couple more lines for our song.” She chirps, face breaking out in a smile as she dug a rolled up sheet of loose leaf paper out the pocket of her jeans.

Liam didn’t seem to hear her as he slammed his fist onto the counter making her jump. “And the thing that really gets me was the smug look on his face when he saw me staring, knowing he’d been caught and not giving a rat’s arse about it—so confident that I was harmless, that I’d never tell and the sad thing is, he’s right, I’m a loser and a coward.”

“Yer not Payne, you just have too big of a heart to hurt Lou like that because even though you’d be doing the right thing by telling her, you’d also be hurting her—that’s if she even believed ya. Now about our song, I was thinking…”

“Why wouldn’t she believe me?”

“Lee, if Derek knows about yer feelings for her, don’t you think she might as well? I mean, you’re not exactly subtle about the uh, staring, so there’s a chance she’d just think you were telling her with ulterior motives in mind.”

“I don’t stare!”

“Look, I wasn’t going to even say anything, but today in the girl’s locker room, Sophia Smith approached me about it.”

“Sophia Smith? What’d she say?”

Niall shrugged. “She just called you a nerd and made a comment about your crush on Lou.”

“Why the fuck would she even—whatever, I don’t care. I know Lou would believe me, I have no reason to lie…even if she broke up with Derek, I’m not deluded enough to think I stand a chance at being with her, I’d only be telling her because it’s the right thing to do.”

“If you say so, now about the chorus, I was thinking—”

“Niall enough about the stupid song, I’m trying to have an adult conversation here and you’re worried about a dumb little song that doesn’t even mean anything…can you like, pretend just for a second that you’re eighteen and not bloody eight?”

“Fuck you Liam, I’m sorry if Lou Tomlinson’s feelings aren’t a major priority of mine, that I don’t give a fuck about the fact that she’s being cheated on—I understand you usually walk around with your head up in the clouds dreaming about her perfect little face, and are just now cluing into the fact that her jerk of a boyfriend is a first class slag, but he is and always has been. People talk at school, so if she’s heard even half the rumors floating around and chooses to stay with him, then that’s on her, so excuse the fuck out of me for focusing on things I care about and not on things that are none of my damn business.”

“Niall, I…”

“Screw you, Payne, you can find your own way home.”

###

When Liam gets home the first thing he does it park his bike in the garage before rushing up to his room, bypassing the living room where his family are all gathered, watching what sounds like Inception, and completely ignores his mum calling for him to come join them. It’s late and he can tell the movie is pretty much finished, and honestly, he just wants to be alone, so he takes the stairs two at a time, slamming his bedroom door behind him to really communicate the fact that he wants to be left alone.

All but flinging himself onto his bed, he digs his phone out of his jeans and quickly opens his messages to the last conversation he’d had with Niall, tapping out a message without thinking.

_Hey you up?_

Niall’s reply comes seconds later.

**_It’s only 10:30_ **

**_Of course I’m up_ **

Liam can practically see her eye roll and cringes.

_Rite my bad_

_So about wat I sed…_

_It was uncalled for n way out of line n im sorry_

**_Yeah well you should be !!!_ **

**_And I guess I’m sorry for not being a better listener and a better friend_ **

He can’t help but grin down at his phone screen, Niall wasn’t usually one to bury the hatchet so easily, not that he was complaining—he’d just braced himself for loads more groveling.

_Thanks for that butt you wear sorta rite it isnt any of my bizniss n your song isnt stupid_

**_Our song_ **

She corrected.

**_and I knew you didn’t really mean it_ **

**_I really only stormed out so I could hit the skate park before curfew_ **

Liam lets out a loud cackle because that was _so_ like Niall to make him feel like shit over nothing, he really should’ve known that she wouldn’t hold something so trivial over his head for long. Their friendship meant too much to both of them.

_Oh yeah well then your welcome for giving you an out!_

_So wear good???_

**_Always were payno, I’ll see you tomorrow yeah?_ **

_Of course its saterday you know wat that means_

**_BOWLING!!!!_ **

###

Being best friends with the same person for over a decade, you start to pick up on things, like their quirky mannerisms and annoying habits, can sort of read them like a book if you have to. You also develop inside jokes and traditions among you, and one Niall and Liam have had since they were old enough to ride the bus alone, was Saturday night bowling.

Of course they weren’t the only ones to come up with such a genius way to pass the time on the weekend, in a small town where there were only six decent places to go to have fun including the multiplex where Liam worked, the diner, the ledge where the cool kids went to make out, the skate park and the super exclusive warehouse turned nightclub called _glow,_ it was pretty slim pickings. It also helped that since Paul Higgins took over management from his father and set up a half price for student’s discount, the building was almost always packed.

Since neither of them was cool enough to get into glow, they didn’t have any reason to be up on the ledge, and only Niall really fit in at the skate park, it was unanimously decided that the bowling alley was the place to be.

Most of the lanes were already in use by the time they breeze through the doors, Liam instantly toeing his trainers off to hand to Niall while he went over to their usual lane, the one furthest from the bathroom but closest to the snack bar. Even though it was against policy to hold lanes for people, Niall and Liam had an understanding with the guys who ran the place when Paul wasn’t around, Mike and Ashton, the two of them had an unspoken deal with Liam that they’d hold the lane for them every Saturday without fail and in return Liam would slide them each a free box of their candy of choice whenever they dropped by the theatre for a film.

Michael already had Niall and Liam’s shoes on the counter waiting for her as she handed him their trainers in exchange before moseying over to join Liam at their lane.

She’s about halfway there when a voice calls out to her, “Niall! Hiiii.” Niall cringes immediately, recognizing that voice and spins on her heel to face Harry Styles, an even bigger loser than Liam and her. He was almost a social pariah because of his hippie ways and the fact that he shops at thrift stores and wears his hair long and curly like a girl, not to mention the fact that he’s always talking about peace and love, speaking so slowly he’s constantly accused of being high, but he never is—never even touched the stuff. He’s also kind to everyone, even his bullies which in a school like theirs makes him stand out and not in a good way.

He’s leaning his hip into the hard back of a nearby chair, with his arms crossed over his chest grinning at her. Niall chewed her lip, glancing over her shoulder to see Liam was already typing their bowling nicknames up on the screen - Payno and Nialler - so he’s of course no help at all, resigned she tried for a smile.

“Styles, hey…fancy seeing you here.” It’s not a lie Harry is almost always working at the diner when he’s not at school—Niall once joked that Harry probably never went home, just washed up in the bathroom and slept in the owner’s office or summat because he was always there, and since he had no real friends to speak of, it didn’t exactly throw a kink in his social life. Yet here he was bowling on a Saturday.

“I know right, I’m actually here with my family.” He boasted, way too proud of the fact that he was bowling with his mum, older sister, and step-dad than any seventeen-year-old boy ought to be.

“Oh that’s uh, nice.”  She lies, already inching away as she mutters, “guess I should…”

“I like your top.” Niall glanced down at her white and yellow raglan top, it wasn’t anything fancy just an old shirt that she thinks might’ve belonged to her dad at one point. “Are you an actual fan of the band or did you find it at a thrift shop and wear it ironically?”

“This old thing, it’s been in the family for ages, three generations of Horans have worn it, my family we’re all massive Eagles fans.”

“Cool, me too. I’ve got a few of their vinyl’s, a gift from my dad this last birthday, maybe you could come by and listen some time? I’ve got loads from the Beatles, to the Rolling Stones, to Fleetwood Mac.”

“Uh yeah, maybe.” She fibs again.

“Niall, what’re you doing over there, I need my shoes so I can start the game, ya numpty!” Liam calls out to her blessedly giving her the out she was looking for.

“Right, be there in a sec, Lee!” She hollers back, to Harry she shrugs. “I have to go but we’ll chat later, yeah?”

The curly-haired lad nods, running a hand through his hair with one hand while the other points a finger gun at her. “I’m holding you to that!”

“Sure, whatever see ya around, Styles!” She called over her shoulder, practically running away.

“What was that? A lover’s tryst?”

“A lover’s what?”

“Tryst—oh nevermind, am I going to need to rent a tux for your wedding or not?”

“Not! What the hell, Liam, you know I don’t…especially not with _him,_ he’s the definition of weird and he’s here with his family on a Saturday night, how pathetic!”

“Eh, a bit of family time never hurt anybody, I mean when’s the last time you Greg and Bobby actually did something together?” Niall didn’t even have to think about it because they never did anything together, the three of them orbiting around each other like satellites living under the same roof but they might as well be a billion miles apart.

“I wouldn’t know since I have an actual friend to do stuff with, now you’ve got yer bloody shoes so start the game already.”

“Yeah yeah, I’m going.” Liam grumbled, picking up his red and black ball and approaching the lane, lining the ball up perfectly in hopes of a strike when movement catches his eye and he turns his head at the last minute, sending the ball right into the gutter.

“Oi, nice one, Payne—are we going to have to ask Mikey to put the bumpers up for you to start out?” Niall crowed, clapping her hands as she watched the animation on the screen of a bull rider getting knocked off the bull and sent into the gutter.

Liam ignored her, still staring towards the door. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” He growls, causing Niall to stand up and join him, following his eye line to land on Derek with his arms around a third freshman.

“Wow, you have to admit the guy’s got balls to show up here on the busiest night of the week with his side piece, is that the girl you saw him with yesterday?” Liam shakes his head. “Oh, it’s the first one then?” Liam shakes his head a second time, causing Niall to let out a low whistle.

“Now do you see why I’m so pissed? He’s cheating on her with three— _three_ different girls and that’s just the ones we _know_ of, he’s got the most beautiful girl in the world and he doesn’t even cherish her!” He growls, hands involuntarily curling into fists at his sides as he watches Derek lead his newest date to their lane, where a group of his buddies were already getting settled, glancing around the room until his eyes land on Liam and he once again smirks, this time exposing the barest of teeth as he trails a hand down the girls back to cup her bum, making her giggle loud enough for them to hear clear across the building.

“I get it now Liam, he’s even bigger scum then I thought and I’m sorry.”

“Thanks, but it’s not me you should feel sorry for its—oh fuck.” Confused once more, Niall turns to see what’s caused Liam’s slack jawed expression and felt her own mouth fall open in surprise as a group of girls came waltzing through the doors led by Lou herself.

Niall watched, unable to look away or even blink much like with a car crash, witnessing the moment Lou’s eyes catch on Derek, whose mouth was latched onto his date’s neck like a vampire.

Her face crumbles for a moment, her lower lip trembling, threatening tears but at the last minute she schools her features into something hard, eyes ablaze as she squares her shoulders and marches over to them, shaking her friend Zayn off when she tries to hold her back.

“You have got to be fookin’ kidding me.” She screeched, causing the couple to break apart, the girl staring at Lou with huge guilty eyes, knowing how much of a slag she must look like. Derek on the other hand looked cool as a cucumber, as he brazenly slipped his arm around the girl’s waist once more.

“Lou, babe, what’re you doing here? We didn’t have anything planned for tonight, did we?” Folding her arms angrily over her chest, her hip cocked, as she glared.

“No we didn’t, contrary to what you might think, I do have a life that doesn’t revolve around you, I’m here with my mates.”

“Havin’ a girl’s night out? How sweet.”

“Are you serious right now?”

“Would you believe me if I said it’s not what it looks like?”

“Lou, really it’s not like that we were just—” The girl starts to explain but her words choke off at the pure look of evil Lou shoots her.

“Are _you_ talking to me? _Don’t_ you dare talk to me!”

“Lou, baby, it’s not even that serious—she means nothing.” The girl in question makes a hurt sound that goes ignored as Derek continues to plead his case. “You’re my girlfriend, aren’t you? You get the title, that’s all that should matter, yeah? Anything else is just fun.”

“Oh well if it’s just fun then that’s alright, isn’t it? I should forgive you seeing other girls behind my back.”

“It’s just the one—” Derek tried to counter but Lou held a hand up to cut him off.

“Save it, I’ve heard the rumors around school, I know it’s more than one. I just didn’t want to believe it because silly me, I thought you loved me but I can’t unsee you with your tongue down another girl’s throat, Derek!”

“That’s alright, babe, we can still make it work—now that you know about the other girls there will be no more hiding, no more secrets—so long as you know you’re my main girl.”

Lou pretended to consider his offer before grabbing the pitcher of coke at their table and spilling it over Derek’s head, making him jump up from his seat as cold soda and ice chips cascaded down from his head to drip into his shirt and down his back making him shiver. “Yeah sorry, _babe,_ but that’s just not going to work for me.” Lou says, grinning smugly as she watched him hop from one foot to the other in an effort to get the ice to fall from inside his shirt.

Turning to the peroxide blonde, Lou blew her bangs out of her eyes, before flipping a callus wrist in the direction of her drenched ex. “He’s all yours, sweetie.” She sniffed; turning back towards her friends she confidently walked right passed them to the exit, knowing the others would follow.

The entire building seems frozen in time as everyone collectively holds their breath, waiting for Derek’s next move. Finally, his eyes dart around the room once before he takes off towards the bathroom.

Once he’s gone, everyone erupts into laughter, all except Liam, who drops down into his seat beside Niall, eyes wide with shock.

“What’s got yer gears grindin there, Lee?”

“Huh? Oh nothing just thinking.”

“No shit, what about?”

“Single Lou, for the first time in three years she’s single, Niall!”

“Jesus, Payne, the girl just dumped her boyfriend let her breathe for a mo before the wolves descend, yeah?”

“I’m not a wolf!”

“I know that but just, give her a rest for now and let’s see if you can pick up the spare.”

Liam snorts because he’s an excellent bowler, ten times better than her and could probably make the shot blindfolded and standing on one foot. “Five bucks says I knock ‘em all down.” He challenges, even though they both know Niall doesn’t have that kind of cash.

“You’re on!”

###

It’s been a couple of days since the LouandDerekBlowup at the bowling alley--that’s what people are actually calling it when they whisper in each other’s ears at school and around town whenever one of them walks in or out of a room.

Neither of them has shown any real outward reaction to the break up, with Lou mostly keeping to herself, focusing on her studies and surrounding herself with her gal pals. Derek on the other hand has continued to see all three freshmen; he’s just a lot more open about it, acting as if nothing has happened at all—like he and Lou never dated.

Liam and Niall are having an early dinner at the diner before Liam’s shift, Niall scarfing down her double bacon cheeseburger with the works and extra ketchup, for such a little thing she sure could eat, often putting away enough food to feed someone twice her size without a hitch, it was a mystery where she put it seeing as she was thin as anything.

He’s working on his own normal sized cheeseburger with a side of onion rings that he had to keep slapping Niall’s hand way from, when the bell above the door chimes and in walks Lou Tomlinson, sashaying her way straight up to the counter where she climbs up on one of the stools there, tapping her painted nails on the countertop impatiently as she waits for Harry to come from the back where he’d disappeared in a bit ago.

Taking advantage of Liam’s distractedness, Niall successfully swipes two rings from Liam’s plate, humming happily around a mouthful of deep fried goodness, not that Liam even noticed, too busy staring at the back of Lou’s head.

“Liam, don’t.” Niall hisses, leaning across the table as far as she can and speaking just above a whisper.

“Don’t what?”

“Whatever you’re thinking—just don’t, it’s not the right time.”

“And when exactly will that be? It’s been nearly a week and Ruth overheard Lou’s younger sister Lottie saying that she’s practically over him, that things have been over between them for quite some time now but she was just too lazy to dump his arse, her actual words, Niall!”

“Say that’s true and she really is over him, what’s to say she doesn’t want to enjoy the single life for a bit? She was with that wanker for four years, maybe she’s over being half of a couple?”

Liam bites down hard on his bottom lip and watches as Harry comes strolling out from the back, whistling lightly only to freeze, eyes wide as they meet Lou’s. “Oh, I’m sorry to keep you, have you been waiting long? You should’ve hit the bell.” He tells her, gesturing to the call bell beside the register.

“It’s fine, I just got here.” Harry smiles, pulling his trusty pencil from behind his ear and grabbing the little notepad he keeps in his back pocket.

“Well then what can I get for ya.”

“Oh no, I’m actually picking up an order under Malik.”

“You’re here for Zayn’s order?” He asks, slipping the pencil back where it belongs.

“Yes, we’re having a sleepover at hers and since I have to drive past here anyway, I said I’d pick the food up instead of making her come all this way just to drive back.”

“That’s awfully sweet of you.”

“Hm yes, well I try.” She preened, holding a hand to her chest in faux modesty.

“Let me go see how that’s coming and I’ll be right back. Can I get you something to drink while you wait? A diet coke maybe?”

“Just water would be nice.”

“You got it.”

Since the breakup, everyone’s sort of been handling Lou with kid gloves afraid to upset her, expecting her to crack any day now and finally break down, and Liam can tell it’s getting to her by the way her mouth is almost always turned down in a frown or the way her eyes have hardened as though closed off from the rest of the world, which is so unlike her usual bubbly self, always up for a laugh, lighting up any room she walks in with her radiance. Liam hated seeing her like this, couldn’t stand it for another minute even.

Before he can stop himself he slips from the booth, ignoring Niall’s shouts after him as he makes his way over to the counter, his palms practically dripping sweat as he raises a hand to tap Lou on the shoulder. His breath catches as she whirls around looking confused—especially at who she finds.

In all honesty he’s just as shocked, has no clue what he’s doing or what he’s meant to say, what he even hoped to accomplish, did he really think that _he_ could be the reason Lou started smiling again? Yeah right. Niall was right, he didn’t even exist in Lou’s world, she probably didn’t even know his na—

“Liam? Are you alright?” Blinking, Liam realizes he’s been standing there staring at her for about a minute.

“You know who I am?” Liam mentally slaps himself because out of all the things he could’ve said, he had to blurt that? But to his surprise, she just giggles.

“We’ve only been neighbors for the last three years.” She said the silent ‘duh’ dangling off the end of her words.

“That’s right.”

Another few beats Lou tilts her head inquisitively.

“Did you need something?”

“Oh um, not really no.” They stare at each other for a bit Louis toying with bits of napkin that she’d apparently started tearing at while she waited for Harry to return while Liam fidgeted from one foot to the other, trying to look nonchalant and missing by a lot. “Actually there is something.” This garners her attention, making her sit up straight once more, curious.

“There is?”

“Yes, you see, I was there in the bowling alley the other day when you and Derek—yeah.”

“You saw that, did you?” She groans, immediately bringing her hands up to cover her face. Liam’s eyes bug out in panic at the thought that he’d just made her cry by bringing up such a painful memory, but he’s soon put at ease when her shaking shoulders turns out to be laughter and not sobbing. “I sure showed him, didn’t I? Should’ve dumped his arse a long time ago, tell the truth, it was always just easier to look the other way, you know?” Liam shrugs helplessly because honestly he hasn’t a clue—he’s never had a proper girlfriend before.

“Easier than what?”

“Being alone? Being shunned from that crowd, you know, being dethroned.” She shoots him a knowing look at the surprised sound he lets slip. “What, you think I don’t know what people say about me? Call me the Queen B of the school, I don’t know if you know this but that’s a lot to live up to.” She said, trading the bits of napkin for the expensive looking charm bracelet on her wrist, toying with the little soccer ball charm—making it tinkle.

“This doesn’t just happen you know.” She says waving a hand at her outfit. “Contrary to what Beyoncé says, I do _not_ wake up like this, it’s a lot of work being me, staying on top and dating Derek helped. Now that we’re over there’s a good chance I might lose everything.” Lou finishes with a shaky sigh.

“God look at me, I’m a mess.” She laughed, the sound wet from crying, she accepts the napkin Liam hands her, gently dabbing under her eyes and praying that her so-called waterproof mascara holds up. Mercilessly, Harry comes ambling through the swinging door with a glass of water and sets it down in front of her along with a straw.

“Your order should be out in five minutes.”

“Thank you, Harry.” He nods once, shoots Liam a curious look before walking out from behind the counter, a plate of piping hot chips in his hand as he heads over to where Niall sat, jaw nearly on the ground as she watched her best friend actually hold a conversation with his dream girl.

“You’re really not, you’re beautiful, Lou.” He says without thinking but finds that he doesn’t quite mind the slip, especially when it made Lou smile like that.

“Stop it, you’re just saying that to be kind, I’ve probably gone all raccoon-y.” She argues, making a shooing motion with her hands in his direction.

“I swear you haven’t, in fact I think you always look great.” He admits, feeling everything but his voice begin to shake. “I also know how you can really get back at that jerk.”

“Oh?” Leaning in, as if conspiratorially, Liam nods.

“If you showed him you were truly over him by moving on, can you imagine the blow to his ego when he sees you out with another bloke not a week after breaking up with him?”

Liam starts to fidget once more, waiting for some kind of reaction but so far all she does is sit there staring, finally a smile slowly found his way onto her face.

“That’s a great idea, Liam, only no guy will even _look_ at me, let alone ask me out for fear of Derek.”

“I can think of someone who doesn’t give a single fuck about what Derek thinks.”

“Oh yeah and who’s that?”

“Me.” A heavy silence falls over the diner as Lou stares blankly at him, looking more than a little caught off guard. Liam can’t help but squirm more than ever under her gaze as she sizes him up, no doubt wondering where this sudden burst of courage has come from, he knows because he’s wondering the same thing.

Niall feels something inside her drop heavily from her chest down to her toes, her entire body going prickly in an unpleasant way as she watches them, holding her breath as she awaits Lou’s response.

Harry sets the plate of chips—on the house—down on the table, whispering his sympathies before going back into the kitchen to check on Lou’s food a second time.

“Alirght.” Lou says finally, shocking all including Harry, who whirls around just in time to get whacked in the face by the swinging door.

“Alright?” Liam parrots, not sure he’s heard right and if he has heard right, then he’s not entirely sure to what she’s agreed to.

“Yes, I’ll go out with you, really show dear Derek what he’s missin’ eh?” She clarifies, grinning with a playful glint in her eye that has Liam swallowing loudly.

“A date? With me?” He edges one last time and when she nods he has to lean against the counter in order to keep his knees from buckling on him because he had definitely not been expecting that. And he knows she’s agreed for all the wrong reasons and that this situation doesn’t mean half as much to her as it does to him, and that there’s a chance he’s setting himself up for a major heartbreak, but he can’t help but grin back at her because he didn’t care, one evening with Lou would be worth a lifetime to pain.

“Well, great—can I get your number so we can figure out the details?”

“Sure have you got your phone on ya?” Liam dutifully fishes his phone out of his pocket and hands it to her, watching her manicured fingers deftly navigate his phone as she saves her number into his contacts as simply ‘Lou’. “There.” She says, passing his phone back.

“Great, I’ll uh, text you tonight?”

“Sure, I’m having a sleepover at Zayn’s but she’ll probably be too busy nagging about how Perry never takes her anywhere, that he’s just a pretty face with nothing going on upstairs and how she should probably dump his ass…same shit, different day, so she won’t even notice I’m not actually paying attention.” She tells him with a laugh that he joins if a bit uncomfortably.

“Order up!” Harry cries out, bumping the door open with his hip as he carries two plastic bags full of food from the kitchen. He quickly rattles off the price, which she doesn’t even blink at, just slides her credit card towards him.

“See ya, Liam.” She calls over her shoulder once she’s got her card back, shoving the receipt down in one of the bags and head towards the door, wiggling her fingers at him as she goes.

“Uh, yes well, drive careful!” He calls to her back, watching her through the window until she climbs into her car and drives off.

Liam returns to their table in a daze, moving slowly with this dopey look on his face, as he slides back into his side of the booth and pokes at his now cold burger. Niall stares incredulously across the table at him waiting for him to say something—anything but when a few too many seconds go by without a word, she kicks at his shin under the table making him cry out.

“What was that?” She asks finally now that she’s got his attention.

“What was what?” Niall rolls her eyes and pulls her leg back, poised to kick him again when his clueless expression melts into euphoria. “She said yes, Niall, Lou Tomlinson said yes to a date with _me._ ”

“She did?” Niall whispers, running a finger through a dollop of ketchup that somehow missed the plate.

“Mmhm and look.” He says, sounding a million miles away as he digs his phone out to show her Lou’s contact. “I have her actual number in my phone.”

Niall scoffs. “Could be a fake, have you tried it out yet?”

“Well no but, come on, Nialler, stop trying to rain on my parade. This is like the single most important night of my life and I’ve got less than twenty minutes to finish eating, freak out some more, and then text her to make plans for our date before my shift starts, so are you going to help me with these onion rings or not?” He finished, nudging the plate of rings her way.

“You know what? Suddenly I’m not feeling very hungry.” She pouts, shoving the plate back at him.

“ _You_ not hungry? Since when?” Her only response is to shrug, poking at the melted remains of her chocolate shake with her straw, anything to avoid meeting his dubious stare.

###

It’s all over school the next day and only three people other than himself knew about it, and Niall was with him all morning, so he knows it wasn’t her, and he seriously doubted Lou was prancing around school bragging about their date so that left—

“Styles!” Liam growled, grabbing the back of Harry’s shirt collar to drag him into a secluded corner of the hall. He wasn’t usually one for violence but after being gawked, pointed and snickered at for most of that morning by just about anyone he made eye contact with, Liam was a bit on edge. “You just couldn’t keep your mouth shut, could ya?”

“What’re you talking about, Liam, I’m going to be late for Chem.” He whines, trying his best to wriggle out of Liam’s grasp.

“My date with Lou, you told…well, everyone, didn’t you?”

Harry makes an indignant noise, throwing his hands up in defeat. “I don’t even _know_ everyone, but to answer your question, no I didn’t.”

“I never asked a question—wait, you didn’t?”

“Of course not, why would I?”

“Erm, that’s what I was wondering actually, like what business is it of yours.”

“It’s not, and I’m not the one who told.” Liam is taken aback for a moment, he opens his mouth to apologize before a voice calls out to him.

“There you are, Liam!”

“Uh, hi Lou. I’m sorry about.” He waved his hand around. “Everything, I don’t know who told but—”

“It was me.”

Liam sucks in a harsh lungful of air. “It was?”

“Well, not exactly, but yeah. You see my nosey mates just _had_ to know who I was texting last night so I told them and err, well, you know how gossipy girls can be.” She paused to roll her eyes good naturedly. “I reckon by lunch time there won’t be a kid in this place that doesn’t know about our weekend plans.”

“We think it’s really, um.” Zayn let out a tiny snort of laughter then coughed to cover it, “great that the two of you are going out, this plan to make Derek jelly is ingenious.” Sophia and another mate of theirs called Eleanor both seemed to be biting their lips, nudging each other and sharing a secretive look before nodding their agreement.

Lou ignored them both smiling at Liam, then noticing Harry there she offered him a small wave. “Hiya, Harry.”

“Good morning, Lou.” Turning to Liam he raised a pointed eyebrow and that’s when Liam realized he was still gripping his shirt and blushed, releasing him immediately. “Ta Liam, now I’ve gotta book it to class if I wanna make the bell, I suggest you do the same.” He huffed, trying in vain to smooth out his shirt as he set off for class with a cordial ‘ladies’ thrown over his shoulder as he passed them.

“He’s right, we’d better be getting to class, but we’ll be in touch, yeah?”

“Of course, I’ll uh text you?” Lou shrugs, smiling coyly at him from beneath her lashes and hugs her trig textbook to her chest. Her and her friends share a look and start giggling as they walk away in the direction of their class.

###

Slipping into Chem 2 a few minutes after Harry and just beating out he bell, Liam sheepishly makes his way to his usual lab bench, directly behind Harry’s. While their instructor takes roll, Liam tries to get Harry’s attention, hissing his name over and over until the taller boy finally turns on his stool to shoot him an aggrieved look.

“What is it, Liam?”

“Nothing, I just wanted to say sorry for you know—earlier.”

“Alright you’ve done so, now can you drop it? I get why you did it, you’re the number one topic of this morning’s fodder, and since only a couple of us knew about the big news that made me the prime suspect, seeing as I had nothing to lose.”

“Well Niall didn’t either but she was with me all morning, so I knew it wasn’t her.”

“Right.” Harry nodded, as if Niall being with him all morning was some sort of given. “So we’re good then.”

“Really? Cheers.”

“Sure you’re sort of a hero Liam, one of us—a nobody going on a date with the most popular girl in school, your life has just turned into a YA novelist’s dream.”

Liam is prevented from responding when his attention is pulled away by the instructor calling out to him. He acknowledges the man by raising his hand before turning back to Harry, but by then he’s already turned his back to him and Liam allows the conversation to be dropped, too busy wondering if that was true—was he seen as some kind of hero? All this time he’d thought he had become the school laughing stock, that people were mocking him for thinking that he could ever belong in Lou’s world, but if what Harry said was true, then they weren’t mocking him but _rooting_ for him.

###

By the time lunch rolls around he’s in a much better mood, having received more than his fair share of back pats, blokes who he hasn’t spoken to since primary school doling out fist bumps and hoots of encouragement—he can’t believe Harry had been right, that just about every guy and even a few girls—kids deemed losers all looked to him as some kind of beacon of hope that they too could rise above their social standing.

“Oi, what’s got you grinning like the Cheshire cat there, Liam?” Nick asked from across his desk, tuna sandwich poised as his lips before he noticed the other boy staring off into space with a silly looking grin.

“What?” Liam asks, shaking his head. “Oh nothing, just having a brilliant day is all.”

“Is that even allowed in high school?”

“Usually I’d have to agree with you Grimmy, but today is turning out to be pretty fantastic.”

“I see, and this good day of yours it wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain copper-haired menace in teenage girl clothing?”

“So you know about that then?”

“Know about it? It’s all anyone’s got to talk about Michael Clifford was just in here boasting about how you crossing over was going to open so many doors for him and his kind—can I ask what that even means ‘his kind’?”

“The socially inept, a.k.a losers of the school, the ones that the jocks and other members of the elite look down on.”

“The Lou Tomlinson sort, you mean?”

“Yeah but she’s different, obviously…I always knew there was something special about her, that she wasn’t like the rest of those twats.”

“Language, Payne.”

“Soz, but after this weekend when we go out and I show her how perfect we’d be together she’ll see me, the real me, not just the poetry nerd that everyone knows me as, then we’ll make things official between us and slowly break down all the barriers for others like me.”

“Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out then.”

“I do.”

“Congratulations, glad you’ve at least got your social life sorted, now about those college apps.”

“Grimmy.” Liam groaned, not wanting to ruin his good mood with talks of college.

Conflicted by his duties as a guidance counsellor and his understanding of the teenage psyche, Nick sighed and shoved half his sandwich into his mouth in one bite to keep from asking anymore questions, letting Liam have his day, there was always tomorrow to badger him about his future.

###

Truthfully, after years of being invisible, his sudden popularity becomes a bit much by the end of the day and he’s grateful to be home where he can relax before dinner, lying on his bed reflecting about today’s events still finding it a bit mad that this was his life.

He’s just about to crack open his history notes to study for tomorrow's test when he’s called down for dinner. Leaving his notebook open on his bed and rushing down to the table before his belly started talking to him.

Conversation around the dinner table is much of the same, his mum asking them about their day and making a joke about tonight being Liam’s first night off from the theatre in ages—which isn’t true but it does feel like all he does is work sometimes.

“Have you finished with those apps yet son? Cambridge, Oxford, and Durham especially, those are our tops picks, right?” Shoveling a few forkfuls of potatoes into his mouth, Liam made a show of shrugging.

“Urm almoss durgn dah.”

“Honey don’t talk with your mouth full.” Karen chastises with a pinched expression, as though seeing one of her children demonstrate such poor manners physically hurt her. Swallowing, Liam offered her an apologetic smile.

“Sorry mummy.”

Surprisingly it’s Ruth who comes to Liam’s defense, telling their dad to back off. “Please dad, can you give it a rest for one night? There are more important questions our Liam needs to address.”

“Oh yeah like what?” Geoff drawled, clearly only humoring her, but If she noticed she didn’t show it

“Like the rumor that he asked Lou Tomlinson out to dinner for this upcoming Saturday night!” She near-screeched at a decibel only dogs could hear, in that way that all girls her age did like every little thing had the potential to lead to the end of the world. “It’s obviously just talk because there is no way my social leper of an older brother would ever have the bollocks—”

“Ruth Anne Payne!”

“Sorry mum, but it’s just such a dumb rumor to start is all, to think _my_ brother—”

“It’s true.” Liam blurts, cutting her off and all eyes are drawn to him, even Nicola who had mostly been tuning them all out to sneak text her boyfriend under the table looked up.

“What?” Ruth asked, stunned into silence as her jaw dropped to the table.

“It’s true, I asked her out and she said yes, I was thinking of taking her somewhere nice, maybe drive out to the city, take her somewhere new?” He informs the table causally forking a piece of meat into his mouth.

“Liam, I—” Ruth stammered some more, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

“Might wanna close yer mouth there Ruthie, or else you’ll start catching flies.” He joked, enjoying every bit of his sister’s bewilderment.

###

Coach Cole has the girls doing their warm up stretches on the field while Coach James sends his boys off to do laps on the track surrounding the field. Their school was funny that way, separated the girls and boys for gym class but both classes met simultaneously, so that they might as well be merged.

Niall figured the separation was to keep the students focused instead of flirting or getting overstimulated by the opposite sex, but the problem with that logic was that hormones didn’t need contact to be a hindrance, all a bloke needed was to _see_ a girl bend over in her tiny green gym shorts to pop a stiffy and be rendered completely useless for the rest of the class period, but there was just no reasoning with Principal Walsh.

They were meant to be doing sit ups in pairs but because there was an uneven number to the class, someone always ended up sitting out or doing some other stretch that didn’t require a partner, today that person was Lou, who moved off to the side to practice her back flip or twirl—whatever it was that cheerleaders got up to—Niall wouldn’t know, when Liam came jogging by on his second of four laps (not that Niall was counting).

She watched from the corner of her eye as Liam slowed down to the point that he was basically jogging in place and said something to make Lou laugh. Niall tried to school her features into indifference but she must’ve done a shite job of it because Zayn, her partner (chosen completely at random by Coach), let out a snort.

“What does she think she’s doing?” The raven haired beauty mutters, attention focused on her mate and Niall knows she ought to be offended for Liam’s sake, at the very least try to defend him but all she can manage is a small shrug that seems to go unnoticed by the other girl, who was still pulling faces of disgust as she watched the two of them, Liam flirting awkwardly while Lou hid her giggles behind her hand so as not to draw attention to them—little did she know that every eye was on them, in varying states of shock.

“Oi, Payne! Get a move on will ya—this ain’t tea time, yeah? Don’t make me add a fifth lap to ya!”

“S-sorry Coach!” Liam hollered back, starting off again, making Lou outright guffaw when he stumbles, nearly face planting right there on the track.

Niall can’t help but shake her head in shame watching her mate turn to mush all because of a pretty girl.

###

By the end of the day, Niall’s more than eager to escape the hellhole she calls high school, having heard her fair share of rumors about Liam and Lou—most people thought it was a joke, others thought Lou had gone round the bend and a small minority thought they actually made a cute couple—all of it was driving Niall up the wall, she couldn’t stand being around Liam any longer, not that he noticed, too busy getting lost in his head. She begged off going to the multiplex that night in favor of meeting up with her skate crew. Slapping the lot of them five before taking to the ramps and rail.

Niall never felt more alive than when she was on her board, hair flowing out behind her, executing a sick board trick that made her mates ooh and aww because no one should be able to do what she does, let alone a _girl_ , which gave her massive skater cred. She’s watching Olly do a wicked tailslide when movement catches her attention and she looks over to find Harry bloody Styles moseying over to them, a skateboard under his arm, dressed in head to toe body armor, from the hot pink helmet that smooshed down his curls to his elbow and knee pads, looking like a complete dork.

Niall rolls her eyes just as Harry drops his board to the ground and attempts to ride it the rest of the way over to her.

“What do you think you’re doing, Styles?”

“Boarding.” Harry replies simply, though you could barely call the pitiful shuffle he was doing skateboarding.

“Get off that thing before you break your neck.”

“Awe Niall, I didn’t know you cared.” Harry cooed, tilting his head and fluttering his lashes at her, which somehow sets him off balance enough that his arms have to windmill a bit just to keep him on his feet.

“I don’t.” Shel corrects, bristling at the very thought. “Just don’t fancy having yer blood all over my beloved ramps.”

“Oh.” The curly topped lad says, shoulders slumping in disappointment and does as told, getting off the board and trying and failing to pop it into his hands before finally giving up and bending down to grab it, making his way over to where she sat.

“What’re you really doing here?” Harry shrugged.

“You always seem to enjoy it, look happy, so I thought I’d give it a go.”

“What about the diner?” Niall asked without thinking because it couldn’t be good for business for the diner to be closed or worse go unsupervised while Harry was out trying new things.

Harry shoots her a look, speaking even slower than usual. “It’s m’day off, Cher’s holding down the fort while I’m gone.”

“You have days off?” Niall asked, sounding unreasonably surprised which only makes Harry laugh.

“Of course silly, I do have a life outside the diner, you know.” Again Niall is taken aback and it’s really not fair the way she’s perceived Harry’s life up until this moment, she thought his life revolved around school and the diner and the occasional game of scrabble with his mum, which he actually broadcasted to the world via Instagram—as though anyone cared that he’d got away with using the word ’vibey’.

“Could’ve fooled me.” She mutters under her breath just to be a dick.

“Sorry?” He asks, leaning in closer as if he hadn’t heard her, or was at least feigning so.

“Nothing, it’s just…why’re you always following me around and giving me them moon eyes?”

It’s Harry’s turn to bristle. “I don’t!” He squeaks, making Niall raise a single eyebrow until he finally sighs in defeat. “Alright, I just like you is all, think you're cute and stuff.”

“You think _I’m_ cute?!?!” She gasped because no one but her nan thought she was cute and she usually told Niall so, followed by a pinch to both her cheeks with the blood red painted talons she calls fingers.

Raking a hand through his curls, Harry nods once. “Yeah but I know you’ve got it bad for Liam, so I don’t expect you to fancy me back or anything. I’d be alright with just being your mate, if I’m honest.” Niall blanches and thinks about denying her feelings for Liam, but decides against it, after all, if Harry the knows the score maybe he could become her ally in her pursuit to steal Liam’s attention from Lou once and for all.

“Mates. Yeah alright…so as my new _mate,_ you wouldn’t mind doing me a favor, wouldja?” She asks with a Grinch-like grin, a plan already formulating in her head.

###

The next day Niall’s held back to speak with her teacher about a shitty paper she half-assed and ends up late to P.E. She’s down in the girl’s locker room changing and should be the only one down there, but just as she’s pulling her Rolling stones t-shirt up over her head she hears Zayn Malik slam her locker door shut.

“Are we really not going to talk about this?” She asks, sounding a bit breathless and a lot annoyed. Niall peeks around the corner to the second row of lockers to see her standing with her arms crossed over her chest while Lou sat on the bench still shirtless.

“This?” Lou asks with a tilt of her head and Niall doesn’t know her well enough to tell if she’s taking the piss and being deliberately obtuse, or if she genuinely has no idea what people are saying around school.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” Zayn growled, unfolding her arms to wave them around almost manically. “Your _date._ With _Liam._ ”

“What about it?”

“Don’t you think this has gone on long enough?”

“I have absolutely no idea what you mean by this? It’s just a date.”

“Just a date!” Zayn let out an exaggerated scoff. “It’s not just a date, it’s not a date at all, it’s more like a joke—a joke that has gone on for long enough, don’t you think?”

“It’s not a joke.”

Zayn let out an unattractive huff of breath through her nose, reminding Niall of an angry bull. “Louise Willamina Tomlinson! You can’t be serious! You’re going to break that poor boy’s heart, you know! He thinks—he thinks all of this is real!” She finished, her hands gesturing madly once more.

“That’s because it _is_ real Zaynie, do try to keep up, love.”

“More like a _pity_ date.” She mutters, causing Lou to roll her eyes.

“Look you’re obviously going to think what you want so the subject is basically moot.” She said, finally shrugging into her uniform top. “Why one measly date is causing such a ripple I’ll never know.”

It’s Zayn’s turn to roll her eyes. “No, you’re absolutely right, you’re only committing social suicide but what do I know.” Zayn says her arms once again folded over her chest, hip cocked agitatedly as she tapped her foot.

Standing from the bench, Lou softly shut her locker and moved over to pet her friend’s hip. “Look, I really appreciate you looking out for me but it’s really not that serious.” She smirked, finding her mate’s concern endearing and moved towards the locker room’s door.

Zayn mumbles something under her breath in reply, something too low for Niall to catch as the two girls scurry up to the gym before Coach Cole came down after them.

Startling, Niall realized she’d better do the same and squirreled this new information away for the time being.

###

“Your boyfriend manhandled me in the hall a few days ago.” Harry spoke, trying to find something to talk about while leaning against the hood of Niall’s car, waiting for Liam to exit the school building so that they could start phase one of operation: make Liam jealous (patent pending).

“Did he?” She asked, distracted as she watched the school door like a hawk, bottom lip caught between her teeth in anticipation.

“Yeah, nearly wrung my neck and ruined my shirt collar—all because he thought I was the one who leaked the news about his and Lou’s date.”

“Oh that’s nice.” Niall hummed to appease him, still not really paying attention.

“Are you even listening to me?” He mock growled, reaching out to pinch her arm.

“Ow, ok ok so I’m a bit distracted but you know it’s only because—shit here he comes! Quick ravish me.” She ordered, nearly throwing herself up on the hood of the car, leaning back on her elbows and giving him her best come hither eyes.

Harry just blinked slowly at her, smiling in amusement at her inexperience. Instead of ‘ravishing her, he simply moved in closer so that he was almost bowed over her and brought a hand up to tuck the pesky short hairs that refused to stay in her ponytail behind her ear just as Liam strolled up on them.

The two pretend not to notice him—too caught up with each other until he finally coughs loudly, making them turn.

“Hey Harry, are you riding with us then?” He asked, casual as can be.

Harry shook his head, dropping his hand from where it was still toying with Niall’s hair. “Naw, was just keeping this one company until you arrived, I’m off to work now.”

“What? You don’t go home first? See the family, have dinner?”

“I eat at the diner, see my folks when I get off work.” Harry shrugged. “It’s not so bad.”

Niall’s mouth drew down in a dramatic pout. “That doesn’t seem fair, I know how close you are with yer family and all.” Both boys shoot her a weird look, thrown by this supposed knowledge.

Harry’s the first to recover. “Yeah well, I make it up to them with competitive games of Scrabble.” He grins. “I’ll talk to ya later?” He asks, unsure of the next phase of the plan. Niall nods.

“I’ll text you.” She chirps, loving the confusion still written all over Liam’s face as his eyes dart between the two of them. Harry hesitates before quickly ducking in to kiss her at the temple, catching her off guard, but luckily it didn’t show, before walking off in the direction of his bike.

“Huh, that’s new…”

Niall shrugs, fighting not to grin in triumph. “He’s not so bad once you get to know him.”

“And you’ve gotten to know him?” Liam asks with a raised eyebrow. “When? How?”

“He dropped by the skate park the other day for some lessons?”

“And he didn’t break his neck?” Niall resists the urge to cry out ‘that’s what I said’ and nods instead.

“He even managed an ollie thanks to my excellent teaching skills.” She boasted puffing her chest out a bit.

“If you say so, anyway you’ll never believe what Lou said to me during free period—yes as in she actually spoke to me, sat beside me and everything!” Tuning him out, Niall practically seethed inside, at Liam’s lack of reaction to her and Harry’s blatant flirting, no anger or jealousy—nothing! Instead he was right back up Lou’s arse.

Perhaps it was time to step their game up.

###

It’s near closing time, the very last of the movie patrons herded out the door by Jesy and Jade when the door opens once more as someone came strolling in. Liam’s just finishing counting out the drawer, speaking without bothering to look up because he’d hate to lose count and have to start all over.

“Sorry, we’re closed.”

“Good thing I didn’t come to watch a film then.” The voice sniffed haughtily, making Liam go cold all over because he knew that voice all too well. Setting the last of the money back in the drawer he slowly nudged it closed with his hip before quickly jotting down the final figure in the money log and shoved it into the safe below the counter for Simon to collect in the morning.

Swallowing loudly, he finally looked up and right at Derek Foster.

“Wha-what didja need then?” He cautions, grateful to have the counter between them, he expects the other boy isn’t too happy with him, Liam had never been his favorite person on a good day back when he was barely a blip on the basketball star’s radar but now with all the rumors around school Liam figured he had every right to want to pummel him to pulp.

“Just wanted to chat, do ya have a mo to spare?”

“Uh…” Glancing around him Liam saw that everything was pretty much done, he’d just have to grab his things and wait for the girls by the door so he shrugged. “Yeah I—we can talk.”

“Brill, so first off, I just wanted to clear the air and let you know that there’s no hard feelings mate, about you and Lou—I mean I’d been looking for a way out of that for a while now, so really I should be _thanking_ you. “He said, leaning against the counter but instead of Liam his attention was on his freshly manicured hands. “Don’t get me wrong she’s a great girl and I still have the utmost respect for her, hope that we can even remain mates after all this--that’s why I’ve got a favor to ask you.”

Liam gulped again. “A favor?”

Finally meeting Liam’s eyes, Derek nodded with an overly dazzling smile, the type you give a girl's parents to get on their good side. “Yeah, I heard you’re taking her out this Saturday and well that’s the same night of my party.”

“Party?”

Derek swiped a finger across the glass counter Liam had wiped down earlier, inspecting it for dirt.

“Uh huh, the rents have gone off on a couple’s retreat and left me with an empty nest, which I fully intend to take advantage of, and well, I know Lou would never turn up if I asked but if _you_ brought her by—after yer date of course, maybe that could be the first step in repairing our friendship? Do you think you could be a lad and help me out?”

“I don’t know…if she doesn’t want to see you then who am I to force her?”

Liam watches Derek pick nonexistent lint from his YSL jacket and flick it onto the floor that Liam _just_ swept without breaking eye contact, never losing his smile.

“It’s hardly forcing her really, you can just casually slip in that you heard there was a party and that you’d liked to peek in on, you wouldn’t even have to stay long 1 drink—2 tops!”

“I don’t know…” Liam trailed, feeling extremely uncomfortable under the other boy’s gaze.

“One song!” Derek bargained. “You come for one song and if you don’t want to stay then don’t.”

“I’ll think about it, can I?” Derek stood back, smile widening if it were possible and something in his eyes told Liam that the other boy thought he’d already won, and Liam had a feeling he wasn’t wrong.

“Of course, that’s all I can ask for…I’ll uh get out of yer hair then, let you finish closing up.” Walking backwards towards the door, he gave Liam a wink before finally turning.

“See ya around, Leeroy.” He called over his shoulder.

                                                                        ###

Liam walks in on Nick taking a selfie and can’t help the bark of laughter that slips from his lips, quickly bringing a hand up to cover his mouth, though his eyes still sparkled with glee as he watched Nick scramble to look professional, dropping his phone to his desk and grabbing up a random stack of paper to tidy.

“Liam, I was just…” He stuttered, trying to think up an excuse on the spot and failing.

Liam sent him a knowing grin. “I know _exactly_ what you were just, Grimmy.”

“That’s Mr. Grimshaw to you.” He snarled, dropping the facade and setting the papers to the side.

“Oh yeah? Since when?” Liam challenged, knowing that the two of them were much too friendly by this point for such formalities.

“Since you caught me making bloody duck lips into my ruddy phone, ya ponce.” Nick growled, throwing his hands up. “It gets boring around here the first three hours in, no one stops by because they’re in class. What’re you doing here so early anyway?”

Taking his usual seat, Liam shot the other man a sheepish smile. “Uh, well I’ve sort of been invited to sit with Lou at lunch so I won’t be--”

“Oi, you’re gonna stand me up? Well isn’t that just brilliant, the boy gets noticed by one bloody chit and turns his back on everything else, I see how it is.”

“No, Nick, it’s not like that, I just--” Nick waved him off with a smirk.

“I’m just taking the piss mate; I was young once I know how it goes.”

“Oh well cheers then, but I still wanted to drop by for some advice…”

Nick’s face lights up. “Advice! Why that's my specialty!”

Liam rolled his eyes.

“I’m aware. So as you know I’ve got a date with Lou this weekend.”

“I believe the only people left who don’t know about your date with Lou are the ESL students, cute little nans who’ve forgotten to turn their hearing aids on, oh and Justin Bieber probably, because as you know if it’s not about him or affects him in any way he couldn't give half a shit.”

“What the--what does Justin Bieber have to do with anything?”

Nick shrugged. “I like Bieber so sue me.” He admitted, not the least bit ashamed.

“O-kay, anyway so Derek Foster stopped by the multiplex last night as we were closing.”

“That must've been disappointing.” Nick said resting his chin in his hand.

“That’s the thing, he didn’t even come to watch a film, he wanted to talk...to me.”

“Oh boy.”

Liam’s face matched the older man’s tone. “That’s what I thought, honestly had myself braced for an arse whoopin’ but he honestly just wanted to chat...it was weird.”

“Really? I can’t imagine what the two of you’d have to talk about that wouldn’t land you on an episode of Jerry Springer.”

Liam laughed. “You’re terrible, but actually it’s Lou he wanted to talk about, he invited the two of us to a party he’s having the same night of our date, asked if we’d drop in afterwards--can you imagine it _me_ at a Derek Foster party--in his _house_!”

“I don’t know Lee, I think you’re missing the big picture the Derek Foster type they’re all ego I can’t imagine he’s taken too kindly to Lou moving on from him so fast--he probably expected her to be devastated, to spend months hung up on him, begging him to take her back and not only did she not do any of that but she already has a date not a week after the break up...I just don’t see this ending well, my advice is to skip the party, you’ve already won the girl no need to gloat by rubbing it in his face.”

“I wouldn’t, that’s not why I want to go Grimmy, you have no idea what it’s like to be invisible, do you? To have people walk right through you it feels like sometimes, other times you’re being pushed around or laughed at--looked down on, treated as lesser and it’s bullshit.” Nick clucked his tongue but said nothing.

“So finally people are noticing me--are even envious of me and I know it all has to do with Lou, but can you imagine what people would say if I turned up at the party...I’ll have finally made it.”

“But it’s just one party, the next day Derek and his bunch could literally go back to treating you like the dirt under their trainers.”

“That’s fine, but for one night just one night I’ll be a king and it’s senior year when will I ever get another chance like this?”

“Christ, I wish you were half as passionate about Uni and your future as you are about your bloody social standings, but I can see there’s no reasoning with you, is there?”

“No, sorry I think I've pretty much made up my mind, just saying it all out loud helped me figure it out.”

“Very well, just promise me that you’ll keep your wits about you, stay aware and most of all, stay _you._ Don’t let them get their claws in ya and turn you into one of ‘em...I’ve sort of grown quite fond of the whole earnest puppy faced poet thing you’ve got going on.”

“I promise.”

Satisfied, Nick leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head. “Alright then, let’s see what goodies Karen sent for me today, because if I’m to be ditched I at least demand delicious snack food as a consolation.” Liam let out a string of giggles as he dug a pack of jaffa cakes out of his backpack, tossing them across the desk.

###

The closer Liam and Lou grow, going from having lunch together to Liam walking Lou to her class--her books in his arms like they’re back in the bloody 1960’s, the more Niall starts distancing herself, unable to take seeing how much happier Liam seems to be now that he’s got his dream girl and the worst part is, he doesn’t even seem to notice. Granted, she hasn’t disappeared altogether, she still drives him to school every morning and they still share the same classes they did before Lou butted into their lives and ruined everything, but if she’s a lot quieter, not offering much to the conversations then a few nods letting him gush and fawn while she simply drives he doesn’t notice. And if she opts to go to the skate park over hanging with him at work more times than not, again he’s much too preoccupied to point it out.

Most surprising of all however is the genuine friendship she’s developed with Harry, what started out as a ploy to get Liam’s attention--make him jealous ended up being so much more beneficial to Niall, who could finally appreciate Harry’s odd brand of humor and unyielding kindness. He was still a bit of a mess and a complete embarrassment on a skateboard but when he wasn’t making moon-eyes at her Niall had to admit he was a bit of alright.

It’s Thursday night and it’s pouring down rain so the skate park is out of the question and she hasn’t swung by the multiplex in a couple of days, avoiding Liam so that’s out as well, but she doesn’t want to go home yet, so she finds herself strolling into the diner, taking up a stool at the counter where she waits patiently for Harry to finish with his current customers to notice her.

The place is surprisingly dead for a Thursday but Niall chalks it up to the weather and idly drums her bitten nails on the counter, trying to decide what she’s in the mood for, having gotten paid forty dollars to watch her brother’s kid the other night for a couple hours.

After what seems like forever, Harry breaks away from the elderly couple and turns to head to the kitchen to tell Jeff their order when he spots Niall, his eyes going wide but not with their usual sparkle instead he looked a bit apprehensive, as though he’d been hoping _not_ to see her. He carries on to the back though and calls in the order before returning with a glass of orange soda and a straw which he sets down in front of her.

“Niall, hey, did ya get my text?”

“Uh no actually I put my phone away so that it wouldn’t get wet on my way over.” She said patting her pockets for her mobile, making Harry roll his eyes fondly.

“Well you’re here now, I could just _tell_ you what it said.”

“Oh right.” Leaning in almost conspiratorially, glancing around them just to be sure which was unnecessary since there were only five other people in the whole restaurant, the elderly couple sat at the opposite end of the counter as Niall and a family of three with a little girl around eight in one of the booths near the door, who weren’t paying them the least bit of mind.

“I’ve got something to tell you.”

“No shit--sorta gathered that much already on me own.”

“Right, sorry it's just not very good news and you know how much I hate being the bearer of bad news.”

“Harry…” Niall said, in a warning tone that had the curly haired boy scrambling to get his next words out in a hurry.

“Alright, alright Derek and his mates were in here earlier a little after school let out, they all had burgers with cheese fries and they’re the lousiest tippers I’ve ever had the displeasure of waiting on I could just--”

_“Harold!”_

Harry stood back looking flustered, but didn’t go too far. “Oh right, so they had food and got to talking and you know how their kind treat people like me--folks who’re different, we don’t really exist to them and so they barely even noticed me standing right there when they got to talking about, about...”

“Would ya spit it out already jaysus.”

“They were planning something Niall, something terrible...for Liam.”

Niall sucked in a shuddery breath. “Liam? What’s he got to do with anything?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard about the epic party Derek’s throwing on Saturday, conveniently the same night of Lou and Liam’s date...well, it turns out it wasn’t just a coincidence, Derek did it on purpose!”

“Please, Harry, only you ever bought that rubbish about it being a coincidence, now quit stalling and tell me what that wanker’s planning.”

“He was saying how he invited Liam to the party, asked him to bring Lou by after their date so that they could work on mending their friendship or summat, he laughed about how excited and pathetic Liam looked, how he practically popped a stiffy and that's when he revealed that the real reason he invited Liam to the party was so that the five of them could humiliate him in front of everyone and then pound him into the floor for trying to steal his girl...to ‘remind him where his place is’.” Harry finished, dropping his hands, which he’d used to make finger quotes to his sides.

Niall takes a harsh inhale of breath and lets it out in a whoosh.

“Christ.”

Harry nods, waving his hands uselessly. “That’s what I was thinking, knew I had to let you know with Liam being...well, you know.”

“Yeah and hey thanks.”

“So what’re you gonna do? Ya gonna tell him?” She shoots him a look as if to say ‘are you mad’.

“Of course, he’s me best mate, I can’t just let ‘im get the mess smacked outta him. Which is exactly what’ll happen if he goes there without all the facts.”

“That’s even if he decides to go...I mean maybe Liam’s smarter than that, to go to the party of his new girlfriend’s ex.”

“Sadly he’s not and oi, she’s not his girlfriend--it’s one cruddy date.”

“He sure seems mighty excited about it though.”

“Yeah well that’s because he doesn't know any better, he’s been in love with the _idea_ of Lou, this perfect human specimen for so long, but just watch when she doesn’t live up to the image he’s got in his head and he realizes that she’s not the type of girl he should be with, that she’ll never know him the way that I--” Niall’s mouth snaps shut as she realizes what she was about to say, about to reveal.

“I get it Niall; you don’t have to watch what you say around me.”

“Still, doesn’t feel right going all ga-ga over Liam given how you feel about me.”

“Look, I think you’re aces, really, but it’s not like I thought you were my one true love or anything, I like that we’re mates now--it’s enough, honest.”

“If you’re sure…”

“I am.”

“Alright then, I think Liam’s in for a rude awakening when he really gets to know her, knocking Lou right off the pedestal he’s got her on because she’ll never know him like I do, she’ll never have the history we have, she can’t categorize his every facial expression from the way the skin between his brows furrow when he doesn’t understand what’s happening during a movie but is too stubborn to ask, or the way his upper lip twitches if he tries to lie. Then there’s his quirky little mannerisms, like how he scratches at his belly if he’s eaten too much or that he always, _always_ has to be the car when we play monopoly. I know all that stuff, I’ve done the time--put 12 years in and I’m not about to let some pretty girl with a perfect bum come in and snatch him from me!”

“Yikes, Niall, that’s--you’re _proper_ in love with him!”

“Yes.”

“And he thinks he’s in love with…”

“Yes.” She repeated, more morose.

Harry made a pathetic noise in the back of his throat and without warning he reached forward to grip her hand, clucking his tongue in sympathy.

“You poor thing.”

###

It’s a slow night on account of the rain so Liam doesn't expect to have much of a crowd for the theater’s last showing but when the doors open, he looks up with a welcoming grin all the same and is surprised to see it’s Niall who shuffles in.

He’s surprised because he hasn’t seen much of his friend the last couple of days, at first he’d chalked it up to her being busy with the skate park but it wasn’t just that, she’d also been abnormally quiet during their morning rides, and during class instead of texting him about what a wench Miss Flack was or whispering naughty limericks that she’s made up in her head, she actually started taking notes and paid attention to the lessons, which wasn’t exactly a _bad_ thing, just _unexpected_ is all.

“Hey.” He greets, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Hey.” She returns, her voice coming out a bit strained almost indiscernible the only reason he noticed was because he’s known her since she lost her two front teeth and spent a month whistling all her ‘s’ words.

“What brings you to our neck of the woods?”

“Shut up, you act like this place isn’t like a third home to me, right behind your house of course.”

“Not lately.” He muttered good naturedly, causing her to shrug.

“Yeah well, I’ve had other stuff to do.”

“Sure, so what’s up tonight? Finish with your other stuff then?”

“Not quite but something came up, I uh received some information that I think you ought to hear.”

“Oh yeah? Sounds serious.” He said in an awful Joker impression, making himself giggle until he notices Niall’s grave expression and loses all traces of laughter. “Hey...what’s wrong, Petal?” She winces at the old pet name, closing her eyes for a moment to compose herself, to muster up the courage to possibly break her best friend’s heart.

“I heard Derek invited you to his party.”

“Wow, did it spread around school already?”

“Not quite, it was Harry who told me, he heard the news from Derek himself today in the diner.”

“He did?”

“Yeah...he was bragging to his mates about you, about how desperate you were to be invited, called you pathetic.” Niall watched several emotions play out on Liam’s face until finally settling on confusion as he opened his mouth to ask something that Niall didn’t want to hear yet so she continued, speaking over him.

“That’s not the worst part, he also heard the real reason _why_ Derek invited you, it’s not to make things right with Lou like he said, it’s to humiliate you in front of her and everyone else, and as if that isn’t enough, he also means to rough ya up--him and his mates, the whole lot of them against just you.” This time there was no mistaking the emotion written on Liam’s face as the corners of his mouth turned down in a frown and his eyebrows met in the middle of his forehead.

“You’re lying.”

“What?” Niall said, drawing back as if struck. As though the weight of those two words was enough to physically affect her.

“Jesus, Niall, you’ve been off ever since I asked Lou out and she said yes, and I don’t know why. Is it jealousy--are you--you can’t stand to see me succeed, can you? Not as the English nerd or your loser best friend but as someone people like and admire, someone who goes out with the likes of Lou Tomlinson and attends parties at Derek Foster’s house, someone people want to be around.”

“Are you _serious_ right now, Payno? You actually think I would--that I’d _ever_ \--” Niall sputtered, a million different thoughts going through her mind that she was having trouble latching onto just one to actually voice, thrown not only by Liam’s ferocity but his audacity.

“You know what, fuck you. I can’t believe I came here to warn you because I actually give a shit about you as your friend but all you can think about is your new found popularity. You think they give a toss about you? You’re just the topic of today’s fodder, come Monday you’ll be old news, right back to being a nobody and you know who will still be there waiting for you--me, you’re so-called jealous best mate that’s who--but go on to the party then, have yer arse handed to ya see if I care, just remember who tried to have yer back, eh?”

Liam stood with his mouth opening and closing in shock but before he could try to defend himself, Niall turned on her heel and marched right out the way she’d entered.

###

It’s not until he’s home lying on his back in bed staring up at the ceiling that Liam can really think about Niall’s words, he didn’t want to believe them--of course he didn’t, but in their twelve years

of friendship, Niall has rarely lied to him beyond the normal little fibs that are necessary to make such a close knit relationship work.

And his accusation of her being jealous of him--what even was that? He’s got no idea where those thoughts came from because they were utter rubbish, he knows that even if she was in fact jealous of his new found status at school that she’d be nothing but supportive of him, knowing on some level that in no time at all he’d pull her up with him, once he was officially in that is.

So why did he blow up at her like he did?

Could it be that her words brought to light a harsh reality that he’s been avoiding? Ignoring the little voice in his head that told him that he didn’t belong, that he ever would--that Lou and them were just using him, that this was all one big joke to make him look like a prat with egg on his face.

Probably.

Most likely.

It was just so much easier to blow up at Niall, call her a liar then admit that she could very well be right, that perhaps Lou was even in on the joke, acting as bait to lure Liam to the party where Derek and his gang meant to make mincemeat out of him.

After all, what could she possibly see in him? He wasn’t blind, he saw the way her mates Zayn and them looked at him whenever he came around, tittering behind their hands and whispering to each other. And sure it seemed like Lou was unaware of what they are doing, but that could very well be an act--she had played Sandy in last year’s school production of Grease and was known to have aspirations of being an actress.

Maybe that’s all this was, a social experiment of some sorts--a test to see if she had what it took for Hollywood, his life sure had been reading like the script of a cheesy teen movie as of late so why not?

Sitting up in bed, he swings his legs over the edge and reaches for his discarded jeans, dressing quickly before he can lose his nerve.

Moments later, he finds himself climbing the familiar trellis that leads to Niall’s bedroom window, pausing when he hears the familiar sounds of Niall strumming on Lorenzo, humming to herself and recognizes it as their song--the one they were supposed to be writing together and frowns when he realizes he hasn’t really been around much to contribute.

“Hey, that’s coming along pretty good there.” He says in way of greeting, making her jump, fingers scratching along the fretboard, making a screeching sound that has them both wincing.

“What do you want?” She asks, not giving him even a little break.

Sighing, Liam moves to enter, moving slowly in case she tells him to take a hike, when she stays mute he climbs the rest of the way in joining her on the bed but leaving plenty of space between them.

“I’m sorry.” He says simply, fixing her with his most earnest look, the same look that has been known to make her cave no matter how angry she is with him and it looks to be doing the trick now if her soft, resigned expression is anything to go by.

Setting Lorenzo aside, Niall fixes Liam with a weary look.

“Seriously, Lee, we have to stop all this fighting.” Liam opens his mouth to speak but she raises a hand to stop him. “We never used to be this bad--talking in apologies, what happened to us?”

Liam knows exactly what happened, and knows what she wants him to say but he can’t quite bring himself to oblige...not until he has all the answers he needs.

“I know; we’re supposed to be young adults now.” He jokes with a roll of his eyes. “You think this is just us growing up?”

She snorts. “If that's the case then why have we been bickering like a pair of babes?”

“I don’t quite think babies know some of the words you’ve used on me, Ni.”

Niall pretends to think about it before letting out a hoot of laughter. “Ha ! Yer prolly right !” She concedes, falling to her back on the bed, now laying with her hands behind her head.

Liam moves to do the same.

Without the pressure of Niall’s gaze on him he’s able to swallow his nerves and get to the real reason he’d stopped by.

“Forgive me?” He asks the ceiling, holding his breath without even realizing it as he awaited her answer.

Niall lets out a huge sigh, turning on her side to face him once more, admiring his profile. “There’s nothing really to forgive is there?” She says because it’s true, they’ve been friends for too long to let something so dumb come between them, sure his words had hurt her, but she knew he didn’t mean them, that he’d just been lashing out to cover his own pain.

“I don’t deserve you.” He admits with a weak laugh.

“Ain’t that the truth !” She hoots, knocking his shoulder with hers to show they were good before rolling onto her back once more, the pair of them staring up at the ceiling in companionable silence just like they have done so many times before over the years.

“You know they say you always hurt the ones you love.”

“Oh yeah? Then why aren’t you beating the shit out of Lou Tomlinson?” Niall joked, at least Liam thinks she’s joking, the two of them sharing a laugh.

Grinning up at the ceiling, Liam felt the knot that had planted itself smack dab in the middle of his chest release, satisfied that at least one of his problems has been resolved--perhaps the most important of them. Now all he had to do was confront Lou.

###

He doesn’t know exactly what he means to say, as he approaches Lou just before homeroom, figures he’s got a knack for words so he might as well wing it, let his raw emotions come out and hope for the best. That plan is shattered when he spies her and her mates having what looks like a tense conversation and decides he can wait and eavesdrop instead.

“What gives, why do I feel like I’m headed for my execution?” Lou chuckled, taking in her friends’ grim faces.

Sophia crossed her arms over her chest, stepping forward slightly to act as speaker for the group. “This is no time for jokes, Lou, we heard you and Derek had a little chat last night.”

“Yeah we did, so what?”

Sharing a brief look with the others, Sophia spoke on. “Didn’t he agree to put aside his pride and take you back? That he forgave you?”

Lou can’t help but let out a guffaw, going so far as to throw her head back. “Can you believe it? He did! As if I would ever want to get back with that sleaze ball.” To her surprise her friends’ expressions never change, instead they look disappointed in her, which can’t be right.

“Louise!” Sophia chastises, making a tsk sound with her mouth. “That is the captain of our basketball team you’re slagging off!!!”

“No, I’m slagging off my douchebag of an ex-boyfriend...you girls can’t be serious right now...you’re taking _his_ side?”

“Lou, we’ve a reputation to uphold, now I think I speak for all of us when I say that we’ve humored your little charity case of a date for long enough, but to think you had the chance to get back in and turned Derek down, we just feel like maybe we’re no longer the type of company you should be keeping.”

Lou’s jaw just about hits the floor. “You’re--kicking me out?”

“No dear, you left all on your own, remember? We’re simply not going with you and naturally can’t be seen with you--you know how it goes…” Sophia finished with a flip of her wrist.

Dragging her eyes from Sophia, she shot a questioning look to Zayn, her best friend, who like Lou, wasn’t born rich but had popularity thrust upon her all the same, thanks to her good looks and confident attitude that demanded she be respected and admired. Surely their friendship was stronger than this...

“Zayn, even you?”

The raven-haired beauty seemed to falter in her resistance, the chin she’d held high tilting down if only for a moment before she shuttered herself to Lou once more. “Sorry babe but you know how these things go.” Lou flinched at her distant tone and instantly drew up a few walls of her own--hardening herself right before their eyes.

“Yeah all too well.” She sniffed. “You know this is good actually because it’s times like these when you find out who your real friends are and I should’ve known all along you shallow sluts were the definition of fake.” She spat, fixing them all with a deathly glare before huffing off towards the school doors.

Seeing this as his chance Liam popped out from behind the tree where he’d been lurking. He feels bad about her friends abandoning her but that doesn’t change anything in his mind, he’s still suspicious of her motives.

“Hello!”

Lou startles for less than a second before shooting him a tight smile. “Liam, hey, look nows not a good time.”

“Why’s that, you ashamed to be seen with me?”

Her smile wavers for just a tick giving way to confusion. “What? No, I’m just in the middle of a dramatic walk off so either keep up or scram.”

“Oh.” Liam squeaked, picking up his pace to match hers.

“So about tomorrow night.”

“What about it?” She asks, distracted as she starts up the stairs.

“What time did you want me to pick you up again?”

“Um, I don’t know…whenever is cool.”

“Are you sure you even want to go out with me still? Don’t think your friends approve.” Stopping once she reaches the top, she whirls around to face him.

“What are you on about? Like I give a single fuck what those halfwit bints think.” She huffed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes, finally catching onto Liam’s tone--much colder and aloof than usual as if searching for something.

“Alright, I guess I’ll pick you up at around seven then, text me if something comes up, yeah?” He says, grabbing the door and holding it open for her.

Slinking by him and into the building she mutters a quiet ‘thanks’.

“I can’t see there being any reason to but sure, I’ll let you know if I change my mind.”

“Great, have a nice day.” He all but grunts, shouldering past her towards his homeroom.

###

After confronting Lou, he’s more determined than ever to see this date through.

“Lemme get this straight.” Niall says from her position, lying on her back in his bed tossing a baseball in the air and catching it over and over as she speaks. “You not only mean to still take her on the ‘perfect’ date but you also intend on going to the party where you will most likely receive a free makeover courtesy of Derek’s fists?”

“Yep.” Liam said, popping the ‘p’ obnoxiously, his back to her as he researches something on his laptop.

“You’re mad…please tell me how in god’s name is this worth it? Is _she_ worth it?”

“To be honest, it sort of stopped being about her the moment you told me Derek’s plans, I mean I’ve already spent too long being pushed around by those guys, we all have...I’m doing this for pride.”

“You boys and your pride, it’s stupid is what it is, you’re going to get yer arse kicked.”

“Probably, yeah, but it’ll be the last arse kicking I ever get from the likes of them but at least I’ll have manned up and took it and who knows I might get a few licks in meself.”

“Oh sure, you’ve only ever boxed a punching bag, Liam, not five guys at once!” Liam could only shrug in response because she wasn’t wrong so there was no use arguing.

Niall chews her lip as a quiet fills the room, taking all this new information in the fact that her mate is willing to get roughed up in the name of pride or so he says, but a part of her still thinks all if not most of this is still all for Lou and with his back to her she gathers up the courage to finally ask the question that’s been haunting her since the day he asked Lou out.

“Liam.” She starts, voice barely above a whisper to mask the way it shakes slightly. Without turning Liam hums to acknowledge that he’s heard her. “Can I just ask what it is about Lou that’s got you so arse over tit? Is it her body or her face?”

Sitting back in his chair, Liam rocked a bit in thought before finally letting out a wistful sound.

“It’s everything.” He says simply and Niall doesn’t have to see his face to know he’s grinning, can hear it in his voice.

###

Saturday starts with a jolt as Liam sits up in bed panting because of a dream he’s had. He and Lou were on their date and everything was going great, so great that by the end of the night she leaned in for a kiss and it was everything he’s been wanting for the last couple years--it was perfect but when they drew part it wasn’t Lou but _Niall_ he’d been snogging, causing him to wake up, in a cold sweat, panting and confused.

It made no sense Niall was _Niall,_ she was his mate, sure she was a girl, had all the anatomical bits but he’d never really looked at her like, well like someone he’d like to snog. She’s always just been one of the boys to the guys at the skate park, to Liam--hell even at home he’s seen the way she and Bobby are and she literally wears boy clothes handed down from her older brother--it was almost impossible for anyone to look at her and think dating prospect, let alone make out partner...except maybe Harry Styles but he didn’t exactly count as a normal human being.

Glancing at his alarm clock, he jumped out of bed to shower and dress knowing he had a lot to do today and only nine hours to do it in before he was meant to be picking Lou up.

He raced downstairs, with only one arm in his jacket the other one holding his phone to his ear ringing Niall to make sure she was up. Feeling a sense of deja vu as he rounded the last step and almost ran right into his mum smiling at him with a plate of food outstretched towards him.

“Oh good you're up, I made your favorite this morning blueberry pancakes!”

“Soz mum, I overslept and am running a bit late, rain check? It looks amazing though, you really out did yourself.” He rambles, then thinks better of it and grabs a slice of bacon off the plate because why not and it’s worth it to see her smile which had fallen a bit come back full force.

“Alright then, have fun and promise you’ll eat something while yer out.”

“Will do, thanks.” He calls over his shoulder, trying Niall one more time without success he decides to just go over to hers and wake her up himself.

Biking it over to Niall’s, he allows his ten speed to slow as it approaches the green and white double wide, he thinks about climbing the trellis again but figures Bobby should be up to let him in the door.

After a few knocks, Liam steps back as he hears approaching footsteps and seconds later Bobby is squinting out at him hair a mess and still in his sleep clothes.

“Hiya Bobby, is Nialler in?” His only response is a grunt and to step aside so that Liam could enter.

Liam watches Bobby return to his breakfast and paper and makes his way up the stairs.

When he reaches Niall’s room, he finds her door closed and thinks about knocking but decides against it and instead rips it open ready to holler at the top of his lungs for her to wake the fuck up, but the words die on his lips when he sees that not only is Niall awake but she’s not alone.

Instead she’s laughing breathlessly, thrashing about on the bed as Harry tickles her mercilessly. There’s a game of Fifa paused on her tiny television that is so fuzzy sometimes it’s hard to even see what you’re doing but from the looks of it Harry’s team is winning.

Liam can’t explain the chill that washes over him at the sight, he was aware that the two of them had grown close in the last week but he had no idea they were _this_ close, that Bobby would let Harry up here with the door closed--only _Liam_ had that kind of allowance.

He clears his throat and watches the two of them instantly jump apart.

“Oi Da, it’s not what it looks li-- _Liam?_ ”

Bringing a hand up to scratch at the back of his head Liam nodded once. “Yeah it’s just me, hey Harry.” He added, giving the other boy a little wave.

“Mornin’.” Harry countered, sitting up and scooting to the edge of the bed.

“What’re you doing here?” Niall asked, still mostly sprawled on her side, cheeks splotchy from laughing.

“Erm well, you know what day it is and I’ve still got so much I need to do, planning wise so I thought we’d get an early start.”

“Oh.” Niall said, looking a bit disappointed.

Glancing between the two of them Liam cleared his throat a second time.

“But I can see you’re busy so I’ll just…” He starts to turn and head for the door when Harry stops him.

“No, Liam it’s cool, I was just leaving actually promised my mum I’d help her with the grocery shopping before I head into work.”

“Are you sure?” Liam asked, trying his best to sound sorry for interrupting even if he’s not.

Harry flashes him a quick smile. Deffo, you’re good.” Turning to Niall, he bopped her gently on the nose, making her giggle, actually _giggle_ and swat at his hand. “I’ll see you around, petal?” Liam and Niall both seem taken aback by the pet name but if Harry notices he doesn’t show it.

“Yeah, see ya.” Niall calls out to his retreating back as he leaves, shutting the door behind him.

“You weren’t kidding when you said you’d been hanging out with Styles.”

Niall shrugs, neither confirming nor denying anything.

Liam takes a seat on her desk chair, pulling out his phone so he can pull up his date night checklist.

“Alright so I was thinking I’d rent us a car--something fancy like a stretch limo or summat and start the night off with dinner but not at the diner she’s been there tons of times and besides it’s Saturday so everyone and their uncle’s gonna be there gawking at us like animals in a zoo.”

“So I called and made reservations the other night to this posh restaurant in the city and then thought I’d take her to a footie game but unfortunately the team’s out of town at the moment.”

“She likes footie then?”

“Yeah, huge Man U fan.”

“Huh, think I got an idea.”

“An idea about what?”

“The next best thing to going to a game.” She murmured, already grabbing for her phone and tapping out a text to god knows who.

“What’re you talking about? Who’re you texting?”

“Calum from the skate park...he used to work the concession stand at the stadium and still knows a few blokes who might be able to give us after hour access.”

“Us?” Liam asked, thinking back to his dream and how weird it would be if he were going on this date with Niall instead.

“Well you and Lou obviously, but he’d be doing the favor for me.”

“Oh right.” He says, feeling his ears go warm as he watches her type out two more texts before hooting in victory.

“He says it’s no problem, he can not only get you two in but you’ll even be allowed down on the pitch and everything--maybe have a romantic kickabout.” She said, batting her lashes comically.

“Seriously? Niall, that’s amazing, I don’t know how to thank you!”

“Let me be your driver.”

“Say what?”

“I’ll take care of getting you a ride and even stand in as your personal whatsit...chauffeur.”

“Niall, no, that’s asking too much besides while I love your old beat up sedan I was thinking of riding in something with a bit more...class.”

“Oi, me car is plenty classy but I know what you mean and I’ve actually got just the car in mind, don’t you worry nothing.”

“Gee, Niall, not that I don't appreciate the help but why're you so gung ho about the date all of a sudden?”

“I’m not, but I happen to be a big fan of happy Liam and I know you’ve been dreaming of this night for an embarrassingly long time and I just wanna make sure it all goes to plan for you.”

“Have I told you today how happy I am that we’re mates.”

“Nope, don’t think that ya have.”

“Oh. Well then allow me to fix that.” He said, voice taking on a playful tone that hinted at his next move which was to lunge at her, fingers already wriggling as they attacked her sides.

“No, no Liam stop! I’m gonna wee meself!!!” She warned breathlessly but Liam ignored her, knowing all her tricks and continued his assault until she was red in the face and threatening to turn purple.

Lying on their backs trying to catch their breaths, Niall folded her hands on top of her belly.

“So dinner, a free tour of the stadium, and a fancy ride is that all you’ve got planned then?”

“Pretty much, I also wanted to stop by the jewelers and pick her up something, I know it’s dumb but I really wanted to get her something that she’d get to keep a reminder of our night together if it’s to be our one and only.”

“It’s not dumb.”

“Would you come with me then? Help me pick it out?”

“Course.” She says as if it were a no brainer. “Posh restaurant, jewelry, this all sounds pretty expensive, Lee, how do you mean to pay for this night anyhow.”

“With my savings from work.” Sitting up to stare down at her friend Niall had a hard time believing she’s heard right.

“You mean your school money.” Niall gasped in shock.

“Call it what you like, but yeah.”

“Isn’t your dad going to kill ya?”

Liam made a whimpering noise in the back of his throat. “You have no idea, I’ve already made my will out and everything. I left you my PS4, MacBook and cd collection.”

“Nice!” Niall cheers pumping a fist in the air. ” But seriously, it doesn’t get tiring having him be so hard on you all the time?”

“Not really, I mean it’s a little annoying but I know it comes from a good place. He just wants what’s best for me, for me to take advantage of every opportunity that he didn't have. He’s probably my best friend after you.”

Niall takes in his dejected form. “Hey.” She says and waits for him to look at her before continuing. “You know I only take the piss out of you--calling you Mr. Perfect and teasing you about yer nosey sisters, overbearing dad, and weepy mum because I’m jelly right? I’m envious of the bond you all have, I mean my parents split up when I was young, dad works all the time, mum’s moved back to Ireland, and the truth is, you couldn’t pay me and Greg to get along. As if that’s not enough, you basically have your future all figured out with schools practically knocking down yer door and even the fact that you had the guts to ask yer dream girl out like for all my talk, I’ve never been that brave in my life.”

“Oh stop it you.” He scoffed, waving her away.

“I mean it though, you’re like the best person I know and I’m really glad we’re mates.”

“Niall…” He starts as she quickly swipes at the few stubborn tears that managed to fall, letting out a short self-deprecating laugh.

“Look go downstairs so I can get dressed and we can get a move on, before I start to really cry and decide to spend the whole day in bed pigging out on chocolates.”

“Aye aye captain.” He barks, giving her a dramatic salute.

Grinning weakly, Niall shook her head at his antics. “Nerd.”

###

“What about earrings?”

Moving away from the necklace display to join Niall by the earring case, Liam hummed.

“Earrings could work, any pair in particular?”

“You want _me_ to pick them out?” She asked, eyes wide in shock because it seems like a cruel and unusual form of punishment, to have her choose the perfect gift for the boy she’s in love with to give to another girl.

“Sure, why not you’re a girl type person, you’d know better than I would, yeah?”

“I’m not a girl type person, Liam...I am a girl.”

“I know that it’s just, you’re different from most girls even you have to admit.”

“You say that like it’s something I should be ashamed of.” Niall said, narrowing her eyes.

“Not at all, I like that you’re unique, I like you just the way you are backward snapback and all.” He finishes by playfully flicking the bill of her hat.

“In that case, I reckon these are nice, they’d uh match her eyes.” Peering down at the earrings in question, he hummed his approval and when an employee comes over to assist them Liam asks if he could see them.

“Ah, the fourteen karat topaz studs, a lovely choice and might I say that they’ll look just exquisite on your girlfriend, really bring out her eyes.” Niall’s breath catches when she realizes the man is referring to her, grinning as he holds them up to the side of her face to show Liam just _how_ well they’d look on her.

To Niall’s surprise, Liam doesn’t correct him, in fact he’s looking at Niall weird his head tilted in thought. Not the least bit offended by the salesman’s assumption.

“They really do match yer eyes, I never knew they were so blue and hey you’ve got a ring of gold even around your irises.”

“Got them from Bobby.” She admits with a nervous laugh, squirming under his attention.

“If they look this good on you they’ll probably look amazing on Lou.” He reasons and to the salesman he says, “I’ll take them!”

###

They hit up a McDonald’s drive thru and park to eat in Niall’s car, fighting over the fries at the bottom of the bag.

“Here’s a thought, what’re you going to do at the end of the night when Lou leans in for a goodnight snog?” Niall asks, popping a few fries into her mouth and chewing.

“What do ya mean? I’ll kiss her, duh.”

“Yeah but you’ve never kissed anyone before, have you?” Liam pauses with his sandwich raised for a bite.

“Well no, but I reckon lips were made for snogging so when the time comes they’ll know what to do.”

Niall snorts. “Rookie mistake.”

Liam’s brow wrinkles. “And what would _you_ know, you’ve never kissed anyone either!”

“True but it’s not me who's going to look like a pathetic amateur with Lou tonight.”

“Alright what do you suppose I should do about it then?”

Niall takes her time answering, casually sipping at her sprite. “Well you could find someone who’d be willing to practice with ya...just until you got it right.”

“Is there a wrong way to kiss?” He asks almost to himself, she answers anyway.

“According to some of the stories I’ve heard in the girl’s locker room, definitely.”

That does the trick, seeming to strike fear in Liam’s heart. “Who do you think would be willing to let me practice on them?”

Niall made a show of thinking about it, finishing off her chicken nuggets. “Well I’m free until seven tonight when I’ll be expected to drive my wanker of a best friend around...so I could help you.”

“You?” Liam says as if the word were poisoned, looking almost appalled by the suggestion

“What? I’ve got lips, all you’d have to do is pretend I’m her, I know it’s a stretch but…here turn and face me.” Unbuckling their safety belts, they both turn in their seats. “Pop quiz, where do your hands go?”

“Uh it depends?”

“No it doesn’t, they go on her hips.” Reaching out, she grabs him by the wrists and places his hands on her hips. “Good, now look into my eyes.” Liam can’t help but laugh, causing Niall to huff in annoyance.

“Can you pretend that yer not five years old?” Liam composes himself, sitting up straight and giving her his best no nonsense face.

“Sorry sorry, I’m ready now.” She shoots him a warning look before continuing.

“Okay, so she’ll probably put her arms around your neck like this.” She says looping her arms around his neck.

“How do you know?”

“I watch a lot of telly.” She deadpans, feeling her insides start to twist in knots at their close proximity, feeling almost dizzy off of the scent of whatever soap he used. “And you’ll want to close your eyes so that you don’t go cross-eyed when I--she goes in for the kill.” Liam’s eyes fall shut just as Niall’s lips press against his.

There aren’t fireworks or explosions of any kind when their lips met but it is nice, the gentle slide of his lips on hers-she must’ve imagine this happening at least a hundred times before and yet, nothing compared to the real thing. She felt a little bold and slipped the slightest of tongue in, feeling Liam squeeze her sides and couldn’t help but smile into the kiss.

All too soon it becomes too much, getting a taste of what she could have with Liam but also knowing that it will never happen, that in mere hours he would sweep Lou off her feet and the two of them would ride off into the bloody sunset like in a sodden’ rom com, so she abruptly shoves him away. 

“Hey why--what’d I do wrong?” Liam sputters, unable to look away from Niall’s red, used looking lips.

“Nothing.” She says, her words coming out a bit breathless as she looks anywhere but at Liam. “Lesson over, you’ve got nothing to be worried about, Lee, yer _good_.”

“Yeah? You really think?”

“Don’t look so smug about it.” She grumbles, frowning.

“Are you--are you blushing?”

“Me? Blush? Piss off.” She growls, facing forward again and trying her best to hide her face.

“I didn’t mean anything by it, you look pretty--”

“I _said_ piss off!” She snarled, reaching over to twist his nipple. Crying out in pain, Liam brought a hand up to rub at his injury. While Niall started to gather their garbage together. “Are you done eating, I wanna get home so I can brush the taste of your fish sandwich out of my mouth.”

Tossing his empty fry box into the bag, Liam rolled his eyes. “Way to ruin the moment Horan.”

“What moment?” Niall scoffed, starting the car up, though by the way her heart was pounding so hard she was afraid it was somehow showing like in the cartoons she knew all too well what he meant.

###

Doing up the final button of his navy blue top, he quickly makes work of tucking the tails neatly into the waistband of his black slacks before giving himself a few spritz of cologne and takes one last look in the mirror, smoothing the sides of his quiff down before nodding at his reflection satisfied. He grabs his jacket, wallet, and phone and heads downstairs with twenty minutes to spare.

“You look nice.” His mum announces from the couch, it seems the family minus Nicola, who was over at her boyfriends for the evening, were having a movie night in.

“Tonight’s the night of his big date with Lou, mum.” Ruth helpfully reminded, still sounding a bit perplexed by the notion.

“Oh, well isn't that lovely.”

“Those clothes look new.” His father grunts, his eyes narrowing as they take in his outfit. “Where'd you get the money for new clothes?

“I dipped into my savings.” Liam admits, he’s never lied to his parents and he wouldn’t start now, not even for Lou Tomlinson.

“You dipped into your--you mean your _school funds_?” Geoff asked, voice purposely level as he sought clarification. To his credit, Liam held his ground, looking his father right in the eye as he spoke.

“Yes my school funds, dad, the money I’ve earned,”

“Liam…” His father started, slowly rising from the recliner to meet him at the bottom of the stairs. Whatever else he was going to say took a backseat to Liam who continued to speak right over him, head held high.

“I'm also taking her to a fancy restaurant in the city which I intend to pay for, I mean why shouldn't I be allowed to do as I wish with my own money, dad?

“The hell you are, Liam, we’ve worked too damn hard for you to throw it all away for some--some…”

“You mean _I’ve_ worked hard, it was all me dad and I don’t think I’m throwing anything away. I mean if those schools’ really want me bad enough they’ll offer me a decent scholarship and then there’s always financial aid, I want to have some fun while I still can.”

Geoff sighed.

“I just want you to…”

“Have what you didn’t, I know, dad. I get it, but what you don’t see is as amazing as I am on paper--all these awards, certificates and contests I’ve won they don’t mean anything, to most people in this town I’m nobody but tonight, tonight I have the chance to show them all that I’m just as good if not better than any of them because Lou...she could have her pick of guys around here and she chose _me._ Don’t you see dad, tonight’s got to be perfect because if not I might just start agreeing with them.” He said, physically deflating as if finally standing up to his dad had taken every ounce of strength in him.

Geoff frowned, looking a little defeated himself. “And you think money is going to prove all that for you? That one night acting as someone else is the answer?”

Liam gave his hair a brutal tug in frustration, not caring that he probably just ruined his quiff.

“God dad, you aren’t getting it, didn’t you ever have those guys in school that just didn’t fit in?”

“Of course.”

“Well I’m one of those guys at _my_ school.”

His dad blinked, looking taken aback by this revelation. “What? But I thought everything was going ok at school.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, I mean I’m an English nerd, who works at the movies, and has a tomboy skater chick for a best friend, I’m not exactly the poster child for the all American high school dream.”

“Why didn't you ever say anything? I’m your father you should've been able to come to me.”

“I think that's exactly why I _couldn’t_ actually, all you ever want to talk about is the future when I’m just trying to survive today and the next day and the next day and so on.”

Geoff looked like he could use a seat or maybe a stiff drink as he leaned back against the wall of the foyer. “Jesus son, I had no idea, I only ride you like I do because I care.”

“I know that and I’ll eventually replace the money, every cent you know I will. I just really need to do this dad and I’d like to know I have your support.”

“I love you Liam, you know I’ll support you no matter what...it’s just a lot of money to waste on one measly date is all.”

“It’s really not dad, I promise it’s worth it.”

With another tired sigh, Geoff broke away from the wall to put a hand on his son’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“I trust you son and yer mum’s right, you look right handsome, Louise won’t know what hit her.”

“Thanks dad. I’ll try to be home by eleven.”

“Eh make it eleven thirty, it’s the weekend.” Geoff said with a wink, gathering Liam into a side hug, and ruffling his hair just to hear his son’s protests.

###

Liam checks his watch and decides to wait for Niall outside rather than awkwardly standing in his foyer with is family indiscreetly staring at him.

He’s not out there more than a couple minutes when an expensive looking cherry red sports car pulls up to the curb, the passenger side window rolling down to reveal a grinning Niall leaning across the seat.

She climbs out the car at the exact same time that Liam approaches.

“Niall, this is a Porsche.” He says, stating the obvious.

“I am aware, you did say you wanted to travel in style, no?”

Liam nods slowly as if in a trance. “I did but how?” He asks, sliding a hand over the smooth hood of the car in wonder.

“It’s Harry’s step-dad’s, I’ve sort of sold my soul in order to borrow it and if I get so much as a scratch on it I’m pretty much dead but it’s ours for the night. Good ol’ Hazza coming through.”

“Wow, I mean it’s gorgeous...I can’t believe you--” He gushes, finally tearing his eyes away from the car to take in her appearance and felt his mouth instantly go dry.

Niall was wearing a dress, a silky black thing that stopped just above her knees and actually helped give her a semblance of a figure, including a chest. On her feet she still wore her beat up looking converse sneakers but they somehow pulled the look off, made it more genuine.

“Quit staring, Payno...I just thought I’d dress for the occasion is all.”

“No it’s not that, you look really nice Niall, I mean it.”

Toying with the skirt of the dress, Niall shrugged. “It’s just some dress me mum left behind when she moved out--used to wear it to funerals and such, it’s probably cursed but I thought why not.”

“You look great, like you could be my date tonight, not my driver.”

“Oh.” She said softly, studying her painted nail for a moment. “Well I can fix that!” And with a smirk she reached into the car for something, coming back with a black newsboy cap on her head, flattening whatever work she’d put into curling her hair.

“Nice! Now you look the part, at least from the neck up.” Niall rolled her eyes and rounded the car to hold the rear passenger door open for him.

“Alright now none of that, I mean to walk across the street and knock on her door like a normal person, but would you mind circling around to pull up in front of hers?”

“As you wish sir.” She said with a bow.

It was Liam’s turn to roll his eyes, sticking his tongue out at her before walking towards the Tomlinson residence.

###

Smoothing his hair back one last time and praying Niall didn’t catch him doing so, Liam gives the door three solid knocks. Seconds later he hears a voice from inside holler.

“I’ll get it!!!”

And another voice yell just as loud,

“No I wanna get it!”

Then a third voice joins them,

“Neither of you are allowed, so _I’ll_ get it.”

The door is finally pulled open and three sets of bluer than blue eyes peer up at him, two little girls who had to be twins being held back by an older girl with chestnut brown hair just a few shades darker than Lou’s and Liam assumes these are three of Lou’s six siblings.

“You’re not Derek.” One of the twins blurts, ignoring the pointed look her identical sister shoots her. _Ah the brutal honesty of childhood_ he thinks.

“No, I’m Liam.” He corrects her with a smirk.

“Liam?” The same twin repeats, face screwed up in confusion but before he could further explain, she’s yelling at the top of her lungs. “Lou! Liam’s here!!!”

The older sister pinches her side making her yelp at the same time that her twin stomps on her foot for screaming in her ear and it’s all highly unnecessary abuse in Liam’s opinion but as he opens his mouth to say as much, his jaw continues on to the floor once he catches sight of Lou making her way down the stairs.

If Niall looked pretty in her flowy black dress, Lou looked stunning in a tight red little number that matched the Porsche perfectly, the fabric hugging Lou’s curves like a second skin.

“Who’s Liam, Lou?”

“My friend now beat it brat, the lot of you.” The other two leave without a fuss, mumbling under their breath as they go, but little miss mouthy stays rooted.

“But I wanna know more about Liam, he’s cute.” Liam is embarrassed to find himself blushing because a ten-year-old called him cute.

“So would I, hence why I’m going on a date with him.”

“Well can I come?”

“Phoebs, I’m not gonna say it again...shoo!”

“Oh fine, good night, Liam.” She says, wiggling her fingers at him.

She was going to break a lot of hearts someday.

“Good night...Phoebes?” She finds this hilarious for some reason, giggling as she closes the door on them.

“Sorry about that, you look nice.” She says, making a show of looking him over.

“You look stunning.”

“Oh stop, in this old thing?”

“It’s not the dress, I assure you.” Liam can’t tell if she’s blushing without the porch light on but from the pleased little smile on her face he can tell this date is getting off to a good start.

“Well thank you Liam, shall we?” He nods, offering his arm to her which she takes, hooking hers through his as they take the few porch steps down. When she catches sight of the Porsche she lets out an impressed whistle.

“Now that is what I call a car.”

“I’m glad you like it because that’s our ride.”

“You’re takin’ the piss.”

“I’m not, it’s on loan from a mate.”

“Wow, who are your mates and when can I meet them?” She jokes, and Liam laughs dutifully, though he has to wonder if there isn’t some truth to what she’s said after all she’s used to traveling with a wealthier crowd, in fact just about all of her friends own fancy cars like this--Derek drives a Benz for fucks sake.

“Harry Styles actually, it’s his step dads.”

“Harry? Diner Harry?”

“I think he just goes by Harry for short, but yeah.”

She waves a hand at him. “Oh you know what I meant, I just didn’t figure him to come from money is all.”

“Have you ever had an actual conversation with him?”

Sadly, she didn’t even have to think about it. “Hmm, you have a point, guess I ought not to judge a book by its garishly colored and hula printed cover eh?”

“He does wear some crazy tops; I’ll give you that.”

They’re both laughing by the time Niall hops out the car to meet them at the curb, opening the door for Lou.

“Oh, hi there.” Lou says, surprised by the presence of another girl. “You’re Niall, right? I believe we share P.E class together.”

“Yes we do.”

“I’m confused, are you coming on the date with us?”

“No, I’m just the chauffeur for the evening.”

“Chauffeur? Well la-dee-da, boy do I feel pampered already.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet.” Liam promises, rounding to the other side of the car to slide in without Niall’s assistance.

###

The drive to the restaurant is filled with small talk, mostly about school and Lou’s crazy sisters and how Phoebe probably won’t shut up about him for at least a couple of weeks, if not longer. She crushes hard. Liam bites the bullet and mentions the conversation he’d overheard yesterday and apologizes for being the reason her friends disowned her but she quickly corrects him, tells him it’s not his fault that her former friends are shallow airheads and good riddance, because if they'd drop her over something so trivial then they weren’t very good mates to have anyway, and assures him that she’ll be fine, reminding him they only had a couple more months before graduation to endure.

Niall stays quiet, pretending not to be listening but really without the distraction of music, what else is she meant to do?

Finally, she pulls into the restaurant parking lot and moves to get Lou’s door but the older girl surprises Niall by grabbing her by the shoulders.

“Don't you dare, I’m more than capable of getting my own door, thank you.”

“You’re the boss.” Niall grumbles, relaxing into her seat. Lou looks like she wants to argue but ends up laughing and shaking her head in amusement instead.

“I like her.” She tells Liam right before they enter the restaurant and Niall really wishes she could say the same.

###

He gives the maître d his name and they’re seated right away, told the night’s specials and are left to ponder over their menus while their waiter gets their drinks.

“Order whatever you fancy, yeah? I’ve heard great things about their filet mignon or if you’re in the mood for seafood, their lobster thermidor sounds pretty good.”

“Filet minion, Lobster thermometer…I can’t even pronounce half the stuff on this menu.”

“There’s the cobb salad if you’re into that…”

“No thank you, I’m not a big fan of rabbit food ta. Can’t we just, I don’t know order a cheeseburger or summat.”

“I bring you to one of the poshest restaurants in town and you seriously want a cheeseburger? Something we could’ve gotten at the diner?” Lou shrugged.

“I never asked you to bring me to this kind of place, you just assumed, and what can I say, I like cheeseburgers.”

“It’s fine, to tell the truth I could go for a bacon cheeseburger myself.”

“Double the bacon.” She agrees, setting her menu down on the table.

When the waiter comes back around Liam rattles off their orders.

“So these aren’t the types of places Derek would bring you then?” He asks between sips of his water.

“Oh it is, I’ve just never quite felt comfortable whenever he did, or at his place—his family has a personal chef who would make things like cooked snails and other things I didn’t know were fit for human consumption…let’s just say I went home hungry quite often.”

Liam made a thoughtful sound. “Huh, I just figured you were used to this sort of lifestyle.”

“I can see that and in a way I am. Being a part of that crowd for three years, it was all fast cars, elaborate parties and random shopping sprees in London but at the end of the day sure an expensive sports car is nice to look at but a rides a ride, and what good is a shopping spree when I didn’t have the money everyone else had to just pick something up and buy it without even looking at the price tag, I always felt like an outsider, even when surrounded by so-called friends I felt so alone sometimes.”

Their food comes and Liam is blown away by Lou’s appetite, much like Niall she really knew how to put it away.

“It’s funny I always thought girls like you were too busy ordering salads to appreciate the heaven on a sesame bun that is a cheeseburger, Niall’s the only girl I know who isn’t obsessed with watching her girlish figure or whatever.”

“But I am watching my figure, I’m watching it get as round as I well please off of delicious food.”

“No arguments from me, that’s basically the motto I live by.”

###

“Do we dare do dessert?”

“Mm I don’t know, maybe we should ask the waiter if the owners wouldn’t mind a little redecorating first because there’ll be bits of me all over the place once I explode.”

“Or we could order slices of cake to go?”

“I like your idea better.”

“Thought you might.”

###

As they approach the car, they see Niall’s head banging along to whatever music she’s got playing, completely unaware that they’re finished eating, she must not have noticed the text he sent her.

Holding a finger to his lips, Liam sneaks up to her window and gives it a knock, making the blonde jump. She immediately moves to get out but he waves her off, getting the door for Lou himself before climbing in on the other side.

“Here I ordered you something to go, figured you could eat it while we’re at our next stop.”

“Oh yeah thanks mate, it smells amazing.”

Fortunately, the stadium isn’t too far from the restaurant, so it’s only a matter of minutes before they’re climbing out the car again. Lou’s eyes the size of saucers as he stares up at the building in awe.

Calum and his friend Luke are at the gate waiting for them, holding an official team football.

“Who's up for a game? Two on two maybe?” Calum jokes but Lou is still too shocked to laugh or respond in anyway.

So it’s Liam who ends up shaking his head. “Maybe next time boys, think I’m good taking this one on myself.” He insists, not liking the way the two of them were checking his date out.

“Suit yourself.” Luke says with a shrug, tossing Liam the ball and disappearing down an unmarked hallway.

“Are you serious—they’re gonna actually let us down on the pitch?” She gasped, looking like a kid at Christmas.

“Yep, time to put your money where your mouth is. Or are you all talk?” He taunts, showing off by spinning the ball on his finger.

Instead of replying she lunges forward to snatch the ball right out of his hand, kicking off her heels, she jogs out onto the grass wiggling her toes before tossing the ball down to start a round of keepie-uppies. Liam makes sure to keep his eyes above the waist as he watches her, genuinely impressed.

Slipping out of his own dress shoes to join her but before he can get close enough she takes off for the goal, forcing him to chance after her.

They end up playing a friendly game to four which of course she wins, he’d like to say he’d gone easy on her but that’d be a lie, he put his all into the game be it for pride or just a result of playing with someone as competitive as she is--her energy rubbing off on him but he’d wanted to win because she was a worthy opponent, so good that she beat him four - nil.

“Number 28, Tomlinson shoots and scores! The crowd goes wild as she wins it for Manchester!” Lou cried out in a spot on announcer voice, cupping her hands around her mouth to mimic the sounds of a cheering crowd.

Liam pretended to be devastated, though it didn’t take much acting seeing as he was genuinely crushed at the defeat, falling dramatically to his knees and hiding his face in his hands. His cheeks were hot and his quiff, which had begun to droop significantly throughout the night, now lay on his forehead in salty sticks from sweating.

Without thinking, he fell back onto the grass to catch his breath but also to gaze up at the gorgeous night sky littered with stars, as though somehow even Mother nature and the universe were rooting for him tonight and doing their best to help.

A moment later Liam hears the telltale sound of feet in grass and suddenly Lou is sprawling out beside him, hands folded behind her head as she sighs a happy little sound making Liam grin, pleased.

He’s sort of surprised that she’d joined him of her own accord, he’d figured what with her being a girl and all that she wouldn’t want to chance ruining her dress or messing up her hair, but he should’ve known better by now that Lou wasn’t like other girls--was just full of surprises.

“How am I doing so far?”

“What like on a scale from 1-10?”

Liam shrugged as best he could in his current position.

“Sure.”

Lou hummed. “8.5.”

“What?” Liam said, leaning up on his elbows, hoping his face showed just how offended he was. “Why not a ten?”

Moving so that she was also on her elbows Lou took her time answering. “Well the night's not over is it, and besides we haven’t even kissed yet, I could hardly give the date a fair rating without the main component.”

“Oh, right.”

“We could fix that now though…” She says, voice soft and wispy as she leans in towards him.

Liam licks his lips in anticipation.

###

Niall watches the two of them from up in the stands feeling like a creep, but just waiting in the car was killing her. She was much too far up to hear what they were saying but she didn’t really need to, seeing the look on Liam’s face was more than enough to tell her that they were most likely falling in love.

The way they laughed, the looks they shared, the way he found little excuses to touch her...they even _looked_ the part too her, and her perfect body in that breath taking dress and him and his broad shoulders and new fancy duds--they were like a real life Barbie and Ken and it made Niall physically sick to see and yet she couldn’t bring herself to look away either, like picking at a scab, she knew she shouldn’t do it, that it would only prolong her healing and bring her more pain but did it anyway.

###

He’s centimeters away from having one of his wildest most farfetched dreams--which until now had been safely tucked in the never going to happen column of his brain--come true, a kiss from Lou Tomlinson but all he can think about is Niall and what she heard about Derek and against every fiber in his body he pulls his head back at the last minute, causing Lou’s lips to connect with nothing but air.

“Wait.”

Lou looks at him as if he’s mad but puts on the brakes anyway.

“Um…okay.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to kiss you because _believe me_ I want to, I really _really_ want to but not like this, not for all the wrong reasons.”

“What are you talking about Liam?”

“I know ok; you can drop the act.” He says, frowning. He’s further annoyed by Lou’s confused expression, really committing to her part.

“Excuse me?” Liam rolls his eyes.

“I know all about Derek’s plans and how you’re in on it.”

“Liam, I assure you I have no bloody clue what you’re talking about, what plan?”

Liam’s frown deepens as he takes in her face, and decides she’s either the best damn actress on the planet or telling the truth. “You really don’t know?”

“Can you just tell me what the hell is going on?” She demands, throwing her hands up in frustration.

“Derek invited me to his party tonight, asked if I’d bring you round so that the two of you could repair your friendship.” At this she lets out a snort. “But that was all just a lie, he really wanted me there so he and his mates could pound on me in front of everyone and well, I assumed you agreed to the date as bait to lure me there.”

“That doesn’t even make sense Liam, I agreed to go out with you before Derek decided to throw his stupid party.”

“Yeah but I figured you only said yes because I’d caught you off guard, I never thought you’d actually go through with it, it didn’t make sense until Harry told Niall of Derek’s plans and all the pieces started to fall into place.” Lou makes an amused noise through her nose.

“Sorry to break it to you, but your detective skills are lousy because I did not now or ever agree to go out with you as a practical joke, I genuinely wanted to get to know the quiet poet with a caring smile who had the guts to ask me out.”

“Really?” Liam asks, shocked that he’d managed to make an impression on her.

“Well yeah, Liam, of course but now I’m confused if you thought I was just playing you this whole time, then why go through all this trouble?” She asked, gesturing to the stadium around them.

Liam shrugged. “You’re still my dream girl, I couldn’t help but want to have the perfect date even if it ended with me getting my ass handed to me in a doggie bag—I’d rather be used by you then go on being ignored I guess.”

“Me use you?” She scoffs. “That’s funny, I mean aren’t you the one using _me_?”

“No, what do you…” He starts to ask but is silenced by the look she shoots him.

“Oh come off it, you haven’t been strutting around school with your head held a little higher knowing you were the envy of every boy in school? It’s fine, I don’t mind a little peacocking—I’m used to the male ego having dated Derek for ages but just don’t try and sit there on your high horse playing innocent.”

“That’s not why I asked you out!” He insists but again he’s cut off by Lou raising a knowing eyebrow.

“It’s not?”

“Well it’s not _entirely_ why.” He reasons, feeling like a right pillock.

“Look, I’m not trying to make you look like a jerk, if anything we’re both using each other. I mean I really do want to get to know you better _now,_ but I’ll admit the reason I said yes initially was just to get back at Derek.”

“I guess you’re right, we did sort of use each other, didn’t we?” Liam whispers, feeling like a jerk despite Lou’s words.

After a few beats of awkward silence Liam finally turns to her. “Wanna call a truce?”

“ _Please.”_ She breathes out, looking relieved.

“Great because I’ve got something for you.”

Lou can’t help but smirk, amused by the enigma that is Liam. “Really? For the girl you thought was luring you into the Lion’s den? You’re something else, Liam Payne.”

“That’s not the first time I’ve heard that.” He jokes, pulling a black velvet box from his pocket.

“Oh Liam, what have you done, you shouldn’t have spent this much on me.”

“You don’t even know what it is.”

Lou clucks her tongue at him. “I don’t need to, it’s jewelry I know that much and jewelry is expensive.”

“Please just open it.” He asks in a pleading tone, looking so damn anxious and earnest it’s all he can do to wipe the worry from his brow, that’s the only reason she does.

Liam feels his pulse pick up because they really do match her eyes perfectly.

“These are gorgeous, Liam.”

“They’re real too.” He points out, looking a bit smug.

“I love them but…I can’t accept them.”

“What? Why? Yes, you can!” 

Lou shakes her head, mind made up. “We barely know each other; you can’t go spending this much money on someone you hardly know.”

Reaching over he covers her hands with his. “I know enough, I know you’re beautiful and kind and love your family fiercely, you’re smart and interesting and ridiculously talented at footie.”

This makes her chuckle and duck her head a bit, looking up at Liam from beneath thick lashes, “but most of all, I know that I’ve been mad about you since year nine—you’re my dream girl and you deserve those earrings and so much more.”

When he's finished he’s surprised to find tears rolling down her cheeks and that her hands are shaking in his.

“Why’re you crying?”

“It’s just--no one’s ever said anything like that about me before--no one sees me like you do.”

“Well it’s all true.”

“I believe you, thank you.” She beams, closing her eyes to his touch when he wipes her tears away with his thumbs.

This time when she leans in to kiss him he lets her and kisses back.

###

Niall brings her knees up to her chest, hiding her face there and tries to convince herself that tears don’t count if she wipes them away before they can fall.

###

She’s back behind the wheel by the time they make their way to the car, holding hands. If her eyes are a bit red, no one notices.

“Niall, would you please take us to Derek’s party now.”

“But Payno…” She starts to protest but Liam just shakes his head.

“It’s alright babe, I know what I’m doing alright.”

“As you wish.” Putting the car into gear, she waves goodbye to Luke and Calum who are locking up behind them and takes off.

###

As they pull up to Derek’s house, Niall tries one last ditch effort to talk Liam out of his suicide mission.

“You don’t have to do this you know; you don’t owe those eejits anything.”

Liam smiles reaching over to flick the bill of her hat down over her eyes. “I know that, I’m not doing it for them, I’m doing it for me.”

“I was afraid you’d say something like that.” She groans, pushing her hat back where it belongs.

“She’s right, Liam, why don’t we just go for a walk or something, end our date on a positive note.” Lou tried to reason, hugging his side but he just shook his head.

“I’ll be fine you guys, quit worrying.”

“Well I’m not going in; I may not be able to stop you from doing this but I sure as hell ain’t gonna watch it happen.”

“That’s fine, you can stay in the car.”

“Can I wait in the car too?” Lou joked weakly.

“Soz babe, you’re sorta my ticket in.”

“Rats.” She curses, allowing Liam to drag her from the car. Niall watches them walk up the drive and does a quick sign of the cross for her best friend’s sake.

Reaching the door, they share a nervous look and it’s Lou who slips her hand into Liam’s, wanting to show a unified front. With his other hand, Liam turns the knob.

It takes no time at all for word of their arrival to make it to Derek, who stops making out with whichever of his three freshman girlfriends he’s making out with to approach them.

“Leon you made it, how nice. I was starting to think you wouldn’t show.”

“Well I did.” Derek nodded, eyes moving from Liam to land on Lou.

“And you brought the lovely Louise with you, brilliant.” He says, smile dimming when he notices their clasped hands. “She really is the definition of beautiful--which makes it easy to mask her putrid insides. Tell me Leonard, have the two of you done it yet? I still remember how easily her legs opened after our first date. I was her first.” Dropping Liam’s hand, Lou wraps her arms around her middle, hugging herself as people around them stop what they’re doing to watch the scene Derek means to put on.

“I think the best part of this whole situation, the part that helps me sleep at night is knowing that you may have her, but you get her used.” Liam lunges at him, managing to get Derek up against the wall before his friends descend, pulling him off effortlessly.

Derek laughs, taking the time to straighten his shirt where Liam had it bunched up in his fists.

“Uh oh, you really shouldn’t have done that Lenny, you were never really part of this. I only used you to get to Lou, she’s the whore. But now I’m afraid you’re gonna have to have your arse kicked...lads if you wouldn't mind taking him outside, I wouldn’t want to get blood on my mother’s carpet.”

“Wait, why do you have to beat him up if this was all about me, to let everyone know how big of a whore I am? You got me, I’m right here so you can let him go.” Lou pleaded, watching Liam struggle futilely to free himself from their hold.

“Aww as sweet as it is, you coming to your little adopt-a-nerd pet project’s defense, I’m afraid he’s gonna have to pay, this shirt is fucking _Versace!!!”_

“Derek, there’s gotta be some way, you must want something.”

Derek brought a hand to his chin, rubbing it in thought. “Hmm, you know, you’re right there is one thing...I want you to beg me to take you back.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me, why would you want me back? You just got finished calling me a putrid whore!”

“Yeah well, what can I say, no one sucks dick better than a professional.” Liam attempts to attack him again but of course Derek’s goons’ grip only tightens.

“Fuck you, I’d rather lick a porcupine than ever be with you in any way again.” Turning to Liam with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Liam.”

“It’s alright Lou, I wouldn’t want you to have to...not for me.”

“Very well, Lads.” Derek’s mates start to drag him towards the backyard when the front door suddenly bursts open as Niall enters, flanked on either side by her mates from the skate park.

We’re talking big, burly dudes covered in piercings, tattoos, and leather with chains hanging at their hips, Mark in particular looks amped for a tussle.

“I don’t think so mate, reckon if anyone's gonna be spoiling yer ma’s carpet it’ll be with your blood!” Niall snarled, talking a big game for such a tiny girl.

“Whoa, whoa now wait a minute, you can’t just come in here, you all weren’t invited.” Derek said, holding his hands up in front of him as if that was going to stop them.

“We weren’t?” Mark asked in his gruff voice, mouth turned down in an exaggerated pout. “I’m hurt mate--guess we’re crashing then.” He growled, moving further into the room.

Derek made a pathetic noise, cowering behind a group of second years, his voice coming out in a squeak when he says “Look, let’s just forget this whole thing, yeah? It was all just a joke anyway, to give the poor, pathetic loser a taste of what it’s like in our world--I was doing him a favor!”

“Tell those dickheads to let him go then.” Niall spat, glaring.

“Guys, you heard her...be cool.”

They do and the first thing Liam does is make like he’s gonna punch someone, causing all four of them to flinch. Rubbing at his shoulder where they’d grabbed too hard, Liam walked back up to Derek coming within a few inches of his face.

“You know what Derek, you had it all right--had me pegged I _am_ a loser and I may be poor but it’s _you_ that’s the joke!” Turning to Niall, he smiled, throwing an arm around her neck in thanks for coming through once again and led them towards the door.

“That’s it?” Lou spoke up suddenly still standing where he’d left her, hands on her hips.

“Yeah, I mean there's nothing I can do to him that he hasn’t already done to himself tonight.”

“Gee, I wish that was enough for me…” Lou mutters and before anyone can stop her she takes a swing at Derek, knocking him flat on his back.

She cries out in pain, shaking out her hand which is already starting to swell.

“Jesus, Lou, you’re bloody mad, I take back every mean thing I’ve said about you tonight.” Niall chuckled, twisting Lou’s hand this way and that in admiration.

“Huh? You never said anything mean to me.”

Niall at least has the decency to blush. “In me head, I mean.” She admits with a sheepish grin.

“We’d better get that looked at, think we can add one more stop tonight, Niall?” Liam asks as he and Mark help Lou into the backseat.

“Sure thing, Payno.”

“Great, to A&E then.” Niall nods, quickly bumping fists with Mark and them through the window in thanks before hightailing it to the hospital.

###

While Lou is being seen by the doctor, Liam and Niall make themselves comfortable in the waiting room. She’s flipping through an old issue of Cosmo that promises to reveal the secret to reaching an orgasm on the cover and Liam’s never been more grateful to have her in his life.

Just when he thought he was a goner, she came through for him, she was so caring and clever the way she thought to call on her mates, the way she’s never let him down.

“Hey, thanks for having my back tonight.” Looking up from the magazine, Niall shrugged as if Liam were thanking her for passing the salt or blessing him after a sneeze and not for saving him from a world of pain.

“Nothing to it, I couldn’t sit back and let them cream ya.”

“I know, it’s just when you said you couldn’t come in and watch--I figured you thought I was dead meat or something.”

Apparently giving up on the search for the elusive orgasm, she tossed the magazine back down on the coffee table. “Nah, I knew you were going to go through with it no matter what so I prepared for it the night Harry told me.”

“See it’s things like that that I lo--that make you my best mate.” Liam quickly corrected himself with a start.

“Yeah well, that goes both ways doesn’t it?” Niall pointed, as if she hadn’t even heard his slip. “I couldn’t risk losing my best mate either, could I?”

“I suppose not, but still...thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She says softly, matching his smile. “So how’s the date going then...is it everything you dreamed of?”

For a moment all Liam can think about is his dream where it was Niall he’d been on a date with and Niall he was kissing at the end of the night, and thinks for the first time that maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea, him dating Niall, falling in love with his best friend who was also cute and sweet--it’d be the best of both worlds.

“Uh yeah, I mean Lou’s great and get this, we _kissed_.”

Niall feigned surprise. “Did you now, I take it from the smile on your face that it was a good’un.”

“Very, I guess that practice really helped.”

Niall’s breath hitched in surprise at the mention of their ‘practice’ but she quickly played it off with a sly smirk and eyebrow wiggle. “Happy to be of service then.”

Liam laughed, though it wasn’t the usual wide mouth and crinkly-eyed laugh she was used to as he suddenly became deathly serious, clearing his throat--a nervous habit he’s had since he was a kid.

“Niall...about our kiss…” Before he could finish, Lou appeared a cold compress held to her knuckles.

“There she is!” Niall announced overly loud, jumping out her seat to meet Lou halfway. “What’s the verdict?”

“Not broken, thank god, but very swollen, I have to ice it periodically for the next couple of days and there’s definitely going to be bruising but no permanent damage.”

“Nice!”

“Next stop is home right, because as fun as this rollercoaster of a night has been, I can’t wait to get home and sleep for the next three days.”

###

The car ride home is filled with music for once except they couldn’t agree on a station so Niall settles for a variety station that played mostly top forty tunes, currently Bruno Mars was singing about funking someone up.

“Well this is me.” Lou announced as they rolled up to her house, as if they didn’t know.

“I’ll help you to your door.” Liam offers, which makes Lou laugh.

“You’re just offering because it’s going on midnight and Phoebe’s already fast asleep.”

“Maybe.” He admits with a cheeky smile.

“Come on then, thank you for the ride Niall, you were a lovely chauffeur.”

“Yeah well, this baby handles like a dream--practically did all the work itself.” Niall gushed, caressing the steering wheel.

“Still, thank you and goodnight.”

“Yeah, yeah, same to you.” She murmured, waving her away.

Liam gingerly helped Lou up the stairs of her porch now barefoot, her heels dangling from the index finger of her working hand.

“So here we are.” She whispers, handing her shoes off to him so that she could dig her house key out of her clutch.

“Yes.” He parrots, wanting to offer to help her find her key but not wanting to overstep his boundaries. Just as he’s about to insist she let him help, her hand comes out of the bag wielding the key, shaking it triumphantly in Liam’s face.

Clutching the keyring to her chest, Lou flashes him a smile that somehow manages to be both shy and sultry. “I had a really nice time tonight, you’re really funny and clever, and not like anybody else I know--which is a good thing. I like you, Liam Payne.”

“Sooo on a scale of 1-10?” He presses, mentally crossing his fingers.

“Eleven.”

“Yissss!” Liam hisses, pumping his arm in the air and dancing in place.

“Look at how smug you are.” Lou notes with a smirk.

“Sorry, I’m just really happy.”

“Was tonight everything you thought it would be?”

“Not at all, it was _better.”_ Grinning, Louis moved in for another kiss, but this one was different, it wasn’t bad exactly but there was definitely something off, like something was missing.

Pulling back, Lou looked him over curiously. “You’re not into this, are you?”

“Um…” He stalled, eyes darting around, thinking of something to say.

“I can tell, Liam, it’s her isn’t it? You’re in love with Niall.”

All the air seemed to leave his body, and he thought about denying it, telling her that she was still the only one for him but he knew he couldn’t do that. She deserved better and because he genuinely hoped they could remain friends after tonight, he relented by nodding.

“That obvious, huh?”

“You sort of sparkle when you look at her.”

Liam suspected that his face gave everything away, which is another reason he hadn’t lied, his mum always did say he read like an open book. “Yeah well, she doesn’t see me that way.” He pouted, kicking at the Tomlinson’s’ welcome mat.

“Give it a rest, Liam, that girl is so bloody gone for you it’s insane!”

“You really think so?”

“Oh I _know_ so, which brings me to the matter of these.” She says, fishing the earrings’ box out of her clutch as well. “I think there’s another blue eyed beauty more worthy of them than I.” 

###

Walking back towards the car, Liam wonders if Niall saw them snogging and really hopes not, that she’d chosen that moment to play on her phone or text Harry or something, anything but watch him awkwardly making out with another girl.

“I expect you can find your way home from here.” Is what she says once he’s in earshot, her cold tone catching him off guard. He’d been hoping the two of them could go somewhere to park and talk about stuff but it seemed like being around him was the last thing she wanted to do right now.

“Yeah I’m good, will I see you tomorrow?”

“I don’t know, Liam, _will you_? Do you even have room for little ol’ me in your busy schedule anymore?” Liam felt as though his head had been detached and reattached backward, one minute things were good -better than good- and now she was going subzero on him and he didn’t have a bloody clue why.

“Of course! Why would you even think that--”

“I gotta go.” She says abruptly, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I’m beat...night, Payno.”

Confused and hurt, Liam watches her drive off without waiting for his response. 

He waves goodbye anyway.

“Yeah alright, goodnight.”

###

 

He hasn’t heard a peep from Niall all day and it’s almost time for his shift to start, he thought about texting her but remembered that the ball was in her court, that she was the one cross with him for no reason he could think of.

Giving up, he dressed for work and told his mum he’d grab dinner at the diner, kissing her cheek on his way out the door.

The bike ride to work was pretty peaceful, giving Liam time to think about all that has happened in the last forty-eight hours uninterrupted. The fact that he no longer saw Lou as this perfect, untouchable goddess but instead as a cool girl with a goofy side that he’d really like to be mates with, and how it was the girl he’s known for most of his life--went through all the awkward stages of puberty with that he was in love with.

He felt different, changed having stood up to his bullies and come out on the winning side, if only he could’ve gotten the girl in the end too.

Chaining his bike up in the theater’s parking lot, Liam walked over to the diner.

The diner was packed tonight so Harry wasn’t working alone, both Cher and Leigh-anne were waiting tables while Harry manned the counter and register.

Which was just great, the last thing Liam wanted to do right now was see Harry, look him in his smug little face with that charming dimple of his poking out as he greeted Liam with a smile knowing that he’d come out the true winner in all this because he got Niall.

Only as he approached the counter and Harry spotted him he wasn’t smiling at all, rather he was glaring, mouth uncharacteristically pulled down at the corners and eyes hard and cold as stone as they tracked Liam’s very step.

“Hey Harry.” The taller boy merely grunted in response. “Uh, I’ll have the fish and chips dinner to go please.” Figuring it would be a quick enough meal to eat in the back office before his shift started.

“Anything else?” Harry asked coldly, as if in a hurry to be rid of him.

“Uh, not really unless you know why Niall’s ignoring me?” To Liam’s surprise, Harry slammed his hands down hard on the countertop, making him and a couple of teens nearby jump, they glance curiously over at Harry briefly before resuming their conversation but not Liam, he continued to stare at him as though he’d lost his mind.

“You have some nerve, Liam.” He snarls, eyes threatening to shoot lasers at him if they were capable.

More confused than ever, Liam opens his mouth to ask Harry what he’s talking about but Harry it seems isn’t finished yet. “You come in here acting innocent like you haven’t got a clue.”

“But I haven’t!”

“You wanna know what’s up with Niall? She’s hurting is what’s up, she’s confused and in pain and hating the world and everyone in it right now, that’s what’s up with her.”

“I don’t understand…”

“She was right there, Liam! Snog your new girlfriend all you want, it’s a free country but Niall was right bloody there and you knew it.”

“So she saw?” Liam asked in a small voice, cursing under his breath.

“Damn right she did, worked herself up good over it too and almost ran right off the road driving home.”

“Oh god, is she ok?”

“Yeah she pulled over and called me and I got on my bike and met her.”

Liam let out a shaky sigh. “Thank goodness, I didn’t mean for her to see, honest—but why would me and Lou snogging upset her so much?”

Harry leveled him with a look that said just how daft he thought Liam was and shook his head. “Mate, if you don’t know by now then there’s no helping you.”

###

At work Liam’s distracted, Harry’s words twisting and turning in his mind, he keeps getting people’s orders wrong and zoning out to the point that Jesy sends him home an hour early, even promises not to tell Simon.

Hopping on his bike, Liam knows exactly where to go, turning in the direction of Niall’s.

###

This time when Bobby answers the door he’s fully awake and looks relieved to see him.

“She’s up in her room, been up there all day and refused to come down even ta eat which ain’t like her, had me worried but I left her be thinking it might be women’s problems ya know?”

“Oh, well don’t you worry Bobby, I’ll get to the bottom of things.”

“Thanks Liam, you’re a good’un.” Liam nods and heads for the staircase, taking them two at a time.

As he approaches her bedroom door he once again hears the familiar sound of Niall strumming at her guitar, this time she’s singing along voice loud and strong and full of so much pain it makes Liam’s own heart ache as see sings about counting stars and fixing broken hearts, the lyrics beautiful and oh so fitting for their situation it’s almost funny.

Creeping the door open slowly he peered in to see Niall sat Indian style on her bed, guitar in her lap, there are tear stains on both her cheeks as she continues to put her all into the song, putting every ounce of feeling into the lyrics and melodies as though she knew all too well about that kind of pain.

Liam enters the room and as if sensing his presence, she abruptly stops playing, her eyelids snapping open to zero in on him, she says nothing to acknowledge him, just sits there staring, trying to steady her breathing.

"Is that our song?" He asks, surprising her.

"Oh, um yeah, I kind of finished it on me own, hope you don't mind."

"Of course not, it's beautiful." He says honestly, coming closer. “Not exactly what I’d pictured in the beginning, it’s more longing, a little haunting--not as cheerful.”

Niall shrugs. “Love isn’t always perfect.”

“Yeah...about that, you remember when I accused you of never being in love and you argued that you had been, who were you talking about?”

Niall bites her lip her grip on Lorenzo tightening. “Said it was a secret didn’t I?”

“Alright can you just answer me this then, are you _still_ in love with him now?”

“Yes.” She whispers, looking down at her bedspread and not meeting his eyes.

“That’s what I thought.” He says, almost to himself.

“What about you and Lou? Shouldn’t you be in _her_ room snogging or--or more?” She stutters out, closing her eyes momentarily afterwards as though even just saying the words hurt her.

Liam scratched at the back of his neck. “Me and Lou decided we were better off as just mates.”

Niall's breath hitches in surprise, blinkng unbelieving eyes at him. “Oh right, since when do you snog yer mates?” She scoffed moving her guitar off the bed.

“Snogged you didn’t I?”

“Yeah for practice--while picturing her!” She spat back, waving her hands around in anger.

“But I didn’t.” He confesses, voice so soft Niall almost doesn't hear him.

“You mean you…: Niall cuts herself off seeming to be thinking, putting two and two together until finally she lets out a soft snort of laughter, looking at Liam like he's the most precious thing in the world “God Liam for a genius you sure are slow.”

“Piss off I’m not--” Before he could finish his thought Niall was leaping from the bed and into his arms, going up on his tiptoes to kiss him, putting every iota of feeling that she’s been harboring for the better part of three years into it.

And it’s everything he imagined it to be, kissing Niall, wrapping his arms around her so that there was no telling where she ended and he began, fitting perfectly in all his empty spaces. It felt right as if she was always meant to be here that their entire friendship had just been leading up to this. And yet it all came at the wrong time, he’d waited too long to wise up and now some other bloke would get his happy ever after.

Reluctantly Liam broke the kiss, standing back to put a few feet of space between them.

“Liam what’s wrong?” She asks, eyebrows raised, her lips bright red and a little wet from his kisses.

Liam licked his own lips chasing the last traces of her from them.

“We can’t do this, you’re with Harry remember? I’m too late.”

“No no no no, we’re not together.” She insisted reaching out for him once more and he let her.

“You’re not? But I thought…”

“I know. I wanted you to.” She murmured ducking her head in shame.

“You mean it was all pretend, to make me jealous?”

“To _try_ and make you jealous yeah, but it was an absolute fail.”

“Not so much.” He admits causing her to stare up at him, her blue eyes blown comically wide.

“You mean...when? I didn’t even think you noticed!”

“Yesterday when I walked in on the two of you in bed together it was all I could do not to grab him up and use him for a punching bag!”

“Nuh uh, you did not.”

“I did, swear it.”

“Christ that’s hilarious I’ve got to tell him.” Niall cackled already grbbing for her mobile to shoot Harry a text.

“He was right cross with me earlier you know, when I stopped by the diner for dinner, really chewed me out about hurting you…”

Pausing in her typing to look up at him Niall nodded. “I can imagine, he was pretty steamed last night when he found me sobbing in the car after I saw you and Lou snogging at her door, I was a mess and he wanted to slug ya one but I talked him out of it...you're welcome.”

” He’s actually the one who clued me in on your feelings, I thought it was odd how cool he was about knowing his girlfriend fancied another bloke but I figured he was ok with it because he knew he had you.”

“Nope, he’s just a really great mate with an even bigger heart.”

“Kissing Lou was nice; I mean the mechanics of it all but kissing you felt _right_ like we should’ve been doing it all along.”

“Well we could have been if you weren’t too busy having visions of Lou dancing in yer head.”

Liam's nose wrinkles up at his own stupidity.

“I’m an idiot.”

“You said it, not me.”

“Guess that just means we’ve got a lot of lost time to make up for.”

“Hmm…” She hummed, wrapping her arms around his neck until his words finally dawned on her. “oh--Oh! Yes, lots to make up for!”

“Wanna start now?”

“Why Liam James Payne did you just make a licentious pass at me in my own bedroom.”

“Ooh baby you know I like it when you use big words.” He growled darting forward to take them both down to the bed. Niall giggling as he attacked her neck with kisses.

“Oi, you two settle down in there or I’m coming up and I think we ought to talk about a no closed door rule.” Bobby shouted from the bottom of the stairs making the two of them freeze.

“You got it Da!” Niall yelled back, covering her giggles this time when Liam resumed his kisses.

“You know yer dad is never going to let me sleep over again.”

“Eh I’ll just sneak you in through the window...what Bobby doesn’t know won’t hurt ‘im.”

###

After the night of **The Date** (capitalized and bolded for emphasis) Liam, Niall, Harry, and Lou become their own little clique, ignoring the whispers around school calling them a band of rejects and misfits because they just didn’t care.

Things went pretty much back to normal with Derek being his slimy obnoxious self, treating everyone like dirt only he was down a girlfriend when the one he’d been with at the party dumped him for the stunt he tried to pull on Liam.

Lou’s friends continued to treat her like she was invisible not that she gave a shit, she had Niall now to pair up and joke around with, the two girls acting like kindred spirits or ‘sisters from another mister’ as Harry put it, earning himself a playful swap to the crotch from Lou.

They're hanging out on the lawn after school one day, laughing at some story Harry is telling about his dreams of being a baker when Zayn shyly approaches them.

The group immediately goes quiet as Lou squints up at her old mate.

“Hiya Lou can I talk to you for a second?” She asks, toying with the cuff of her cardigan's sleeve.

“Sure but I’m not moving so whatever you have to say you can say in front of my mates.” She sniffed, not moving an inch from her position lying down with her head in Niall’s lap.

Zayn's lips twist this way and that before she lets out a huge breath and nods. “Ok, I just wanted to say I’m sorry, I know it’s way overdue but you know how it is being in that crowd, it warps your sense of worth like I know when they kicked you out instead of turning my back on you I should’ve left with you, you were my only real mate out of the lot and quite frankly my life is boring without you in it. I should’ve never picked popularity over friendship and if I could do it over I wouldn’t have...I really miss you, do you think you could maybe forgive me?” Lou pretends to think about it, watching Zayn fidget from one foot to the other before finally cracking a smile, reaching up to tug Zayn down by her wrist for a hug.

"Of course babe I’ve really missed my partner in crime too." The two share another hug, laughing as the others all collectively aww at the sight and Lou snarls at them, telling them to kindly sod off.

Getting comfortable on the grass beside Lou, Zayn introduces herself around the circle (as if they don't already know) until she comes to Harry who is staring at her wide eyed and drooling a little bit. She makes a show of looking him over before offering her hand to him, he surprises her by bringing it to his mouth for a kiss, making her blush.

"You're cute.” She says boldly, lashes sweeping against her cheek as if in slow motion, it’s hypnotizing. “Love the curls."

"Yeah?" Harry dimples back leaning in closer, as if sharing a secret. "I grew them myself." He jokes and surprisingly Zayn lets out the loudest laugh Lou has ever heard come out of her friend's mouth, her nose crinkling up in delight.

“Anyway what happened when you added baking powder instead of baking soda to your cookies Harry?” Niall prompts, scooting back a little more to comfortably lean against Liam’s chest. Harry’s face practically lights up as he tore his eyes away from Zayn.

“Oh right so as I was saying…”


End file.
